Fiction
by Hack.Drawer
Summary: In which Law, secret geek, meets a comic book villain come to life. But he was not prepared to handle the immense responsibilities that came with it - an ordinary human, what is he capable of when it comes to alien superheroes? AU COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

A/N: In which Law, secret geek, meets a comic book villain come to life.

* * *

_He couldn't believe it_.

His chest was full of air, held as his lungs forgot the information the brain was screaming at him. His eyes burned as they were held wide and full of amazement. His mouth was partly open, ramen noodles slipping out as his chopsticks fell to the coffee table with a dull clatter of sound. A few feet away from him, the figure of a man lay sprawled over his computer desk; electronics smashed and scattered like pieces of broken toys. There was a hole in the wall, opened to the night sky. The city outside of it carried on merrily, unknowing of the amazement that had just happened. Debris flittered just inside the wall while pieces of wood, concrete and sheetrock crumbled and drifted both inside and out.

Trafalgar Law finally breathed in, but he choked at the same time. As he struggled to save himself, the figure sprawled on the desk slowly started to reanimate. His cape was torn and shredded, parts of him smoking. It smelled like smoke-smoke but also…something else completely. Ozone – standing too close to lightening. Salt. Body odor. A mixture of scents that seemed new and familiar at the same time.

That cape fluttered as it was tossed aside. The figure sat up slowly, eking a low curse as one gloved hand shakily pressed to his side. Law willed himself to stop choking and just watched the other man with huge eyes as millions of questions flooded through his thoughts.

A cosplayer.

_A cosplayer too lost in his fantasy_.

_A kinky cosplayer – probably from upstairs_.

_A cosplayer from_ space.

_A cosplayer fell from his plane – no, helicopter, doing stunts above the city_.

_Wait…there was no mention of this in the forums_…!

Law spit his food onto the floor as the figure ruffled his ever familiar rooster hair, which smoked slightly while gloved fingers rubbed debris from the strands. It continued to defy gravity, which made Law wonder what brand of hairspray the cosplayer used. The black half-mask made it difficult to see much of an expression, but the black goggles glittered slightly from the light reflection coming from both outside and inside of the apartment. Hiding the figure's eyes with effective shaping as he looked around himself clumsily.

Then he looked at Law, and Law froze because every part of him was pulsing with ever growing excitement. Even the curly eyebrow was accurate.

"_Wow_," he murmured with amazement. "Every detail is accurately rendered…"

Debris falling away from him, the figure slowly rose from the broken table. Law realized that his computer tower had escaped injury but his monitor was a goner. He saw a few keys scattered around the broken legs and started to feel his sanity return. Being replaced by good old fashioned anger.

Brushing himself off, Stealth Black rose from the floor and glanced over his condition. His hair did not move, and that was more interesting than the fact that this costume was in some questionable condition. It continued to heave smoke and dust with movement, but was tucked and fitted in such a way that every inch was left battle ready. The boots emitted the same sort of sound effect that Law associated with the suit, and he wondered how this was so. He wondered if the sound was emitted from the thrusters at the back of the heels or from the cushiony material of the boot's wrap. The cape fluttered, dropping debris down onto his carpet.

He lifted his eyes, trying to pull himself back. This was merely a man in a suit that had gone overboard and had just fucked up his apartment – and computer monitor and keyboard. He looked outside, traffic moving by without pause and someone yelling at their dog. The air rumbled with air traffic. The city continued to move on without a second glance his way.

"Hey, you filthy peasant." The voice coming from behind that face mask was raspy and light. Maybe the rasp was caused by the smoke damage from…_whatever_ he did. Law looked because even the phrasing was accurate to the character. But the accent was almost familiar and there was a sort of intonation that made Law think "British."

Once he had Law's attention, Stealth Black asked, "Where's this city from the colony?"

Law made to answer, but then his brow furrowed. Was this guy high? That delusional? Should he call for an ambulance or the police?

He named off the city, causing a furrow to deepen from what he could see of his forehead. That hairstyle was _amazing_! There wasn't a strand out of place!

"Shitty dog," Stealth Black muttered, reaching up to touch one starkly lettered ear piece. "Hey, give me your location. I was thrown off course."

_Germa 66_, Law thought with a thrill of excitement. Even the headpiece was battle scarred and appropriately detailed down to the letter. He tried not to show his emotion, but as Stealth Black raspily called for an answer, Law set down his take out and ventured over. Stealth Black stared at him with caution, seemingly emitting danger vibes. Law was oblivious because he lacked appropriate emotions to anything other than what he had with his current city lifestyle.

"What did you use here? Beats or Bose?" he asked, reaching for the headset. His hand was snatched and squished within a death grip that had him squeaking in response.

"You dumb bastard," Stealth Black growled, throwing his hand aside. "Do not touch me. Whatever makes you think you can lay your hand upon me?"

Law looked at him with a bewildered expression while gripping his hand. Then he scowled. "Okay. You're taking this a little too far – "

He noticed then that Stealth Black's gaze had shifted from him to his walls. For this, Law's face reddened significantly with the weight of a shamed guilt. Almost every inch had a poster or wall scroll dedicated to _Sora: The Warrior of the Sea_ and other anime. He had shelves of action figurines, graphic novels held together with weighty book stops, a throw blanket with Sora in mid-pose, and a coffee table that had the latest issue out, along with his sketchpad and charcoal. The camera next to it was going to be used to help upload his latest work, while the Wacom pad nearby was in the middle of recharging. The remote to the television was nearby, settled against his sweating drink.

His skin broke out into a cold sweat as Stealth Black lost that deep furrow to have that visible curled eyebrow lifted with dismay. His hand was still in mid-grasp, but his fingers wilted.

"What shittery is this?" Stealth Black asked incredulously. "What is this…obsession?"

Law exhaled blowfish style. How could he accuse this cosplayer of taking things too far when his home looked like this?

"Big fan," he then muttered, gesturing at himself. "So. I'm in awe of your costume – "

"This isn't a _costume_," Stealth Black snapped at him, taking a few steps toward one of the wall shelves and looking at posable Sora in different outfits. Law had yet to complete his _Germa 66_ collection, so he only had three siblings. They were posed in their action poses but 1 was missing his head and 4 had tipped with the destruction of his apartment wall. "Toys? Of…us?"

Law rolled his eyes. "Don't even _pretend_ that you don't know of this fandom. Clearly, you know it."

Stealth Black looked back at him, then scanned the computer and television set nearby. He looked puzzled, scanning the rest of the room before looking at Law. With a few noisy steps, he headed towards the hole in the wall, peering out at the busy city life. Law could _hear_ his mouth falling open from underneath his mask.

"What…is…this…?" he murmured incredulously as Law gave his cape a look of amazement. The hem was only slightly damaged but the "3" stood out like a bright beacon. He decided he was too old to play along with the act.

He pointed at the broken edges of the wall. "How_ever_ you did this, you'll need to inform the landlord of your shit. I need this fixed. I am not going to live the rest of my life like this."

A helicopter whirred by, causing windows to rattle. The emergency bird tilted in the sky towards the hospital, which was located only a few blocks away for Law's convenience. Someone screamed at "Dave" to stop peeing on the lawn. Someone roared with laughter as shouts erupted. Sirens screamed down one lane while a baby cried. A trash truck rumbled down the street below while kids stared at their phones, walking in a single line on the grass.

"Landlord?"

"Yes. The front office. _Fix it_." Law then looked outside. He was on the fifth floor of the building, but the fire escape was a few windows down. The apartment above him was vacant. He ended up leaning out enough to look right to left, absolutely bewildered as to how this cosplayer ended up in his home as he did. The outside layer of the structure was made out of solid steel and concrete. He turned and looked back at the man, whose gloved hands clenched at his sides. The skull on his belt seemed to glimmer with the capture of the outside city lights as his goggles shimmered with the same reflections. He reached up to pull his goggles down around his kerchief. Law thought that the addition looked rather jaunty. The material retained such a rigid state that it seemed forever frozen in that condition.

"What…is going on, here?" Stealth Black then breathed out. "What is this world?"

Law rolled his eyes again, arms crossed over his chest. "Listen, mate, it really ain't the time and place for this continued – "

"_I ain't your 'mate'_!"

Law avoided the boot that narrowly missed his chin by inches. He only moved because in the comics, Stealth Black loved talking with his feet rather than using reasonable and logical conversation. Then he stood dumbly because he was more struck by the fact that he had the reflexes to do so than the actual action of Stealth Black attacking him.

"I…" Law uttered slowly, confusion warring on his features while his hands struggled to do something as his unrest built, "I was…merely…making fun of your speech. I…didn't think that…"

"Reduced to a simpering weasel, like the coward you truly are," Stealth Black scoffed, recapturing his haughty attitude as his blue eyes zipped from here to there around Law's apartment before capturing sight of the television set. Law found his strength to move then.

He hastened his steps to the set and stood in front of it with a burning red face while Stealth Black's eyes were huge with growing horror and fascination.

"What's _this_?" he questioned, pushing Law aside.

The strength of the man was surprisingly monstrous for his string bean figure. Law felt like a truck hit him, losing his footing and slamming into the remains of his computer desk. Stealth Black reacted to the porn video playing with a high pitched gasp and a sound that could have been horror but his expression reflected too much _joy_ to be horror. "What is this small box? Where is the den-den mushi? Are these little people proportional – what is this – this is _consensual_? The chains – is he choking - ?"

Law was back on his feet. He couldn't bear it anymore – the childish questions shot with such a childish fascination caused him immense embarrassment before confusion could set in. But he leapt with both feet onto the screen and smashed his television set into the wall.

Unfortunately, the sound bar kept playing so Stealth Black looked around himself for the source of the noise with a light spin. His cape fluttered with the movement. Law unhooked the sound bar with a tug on the cord and tossed that aside.

Stealth Black shot him with a look once the noise ceased. A vein bulged at his forehead. Every part of his reaction was absolute perfection to the artistic rendering he often saw on graphic novel pages, and Law couldn't help but lose his embarrassment to pure awe. This cosplayer was utterly amazing…

"_Fix_ it!" Stealth Black demanded. "Allow me to see it again, bastard!"

Law stared down at him with a frozen sense of bewilderment.

The collar of his shirt was ensnared within a gloved fist and he was hauled completely off his feet. The pure shock of the act alone had him flailing with a shout as Stealth Black leveled him upward with a straight push of his arm. His upper face colored with a rather diminutive blush.

"That woman was of godly perfection," he tittered. "Every curve a work of art! Every lewd gesture utterly _open_ and on display! I had not seen such parts and now that I have, I would like to see more! How is this available from such a small projection?"

Law's toes stretched and curled helplessly over the floor while he clutched the skinny arm with both of his hands. "_How are you doing this_?" he had to exclaim breathlessly, straining to be released.

Seeing that he wasn't going to have his answers, Stealth Black tossed him aside like he was a toy. Law hit and skid across the carpet in a painful tumble of limbs, feet over head before he rolled to a stop. He looked at the shorter man with disbelief, feeling awed by what he was experiencing. His early certainty that this was only a cosplayer suddenly felt very fragile.

But he couldn't allow himself to think anything else more than that.

Stealth Black reached for the television set and clumsily stood it up against the wall. But the screen was broken and stretched, like hard broken plastic, and the colors behind it splotched into brilliantly colored rainbow bars. Then he scanned the coffee table and beyond, looking for something. Law had the thought, judging by the cosplayer's reaction to the television set, that he was looking for the familiar projectors of Germa 66 technology. Telepathic snails. So he was once again wordless.

The television crashed off the stand and hit the carpet with a clatter of sound. Stealth Black sighed with disappointment, reaching up to fix his kerchief before making his way back to the hole. He pulled his goggles back into place. Without any more hesitation, he hopped out.

Law clamored to his feet and raced to look out. But the man was resolutely marching from the flower boxes below and headed for the lawn. A couple of people paused in mid-walk to stare at him. Law looked from the damage in his wall to the ground below. There was no possible way that this slender man had the ability to jump that casually from the fifth floor to a rocky, uneven terrain like it was nothing.

"_Superhero landing_," he whispered to himself, but he pushed away from the wall and dashed over to his door.


	2. Chapter 2

**: : 2**

* * *

People were staring at him as he stalked up to a street. Stealth Black was used to the terrified reactions of bystanders whenever they laid eyes on him, but these expressions weren't like that. They wore faces that clearly looked like they had seen something to laugh at and weren't sure if they should. He ignored them because most of these imbeciles were below him – all of them registered weaklings, without any true threat to them.

This colony was of a curiously strange design – the buildings glittered freely with electricity, vehicles swept by without the aid of a modified animal, and people were riveted by small tablets held in one hand. There were no flags detailing any sort of loyalty towards royal family or leader – in fact, most of the letters were undecipherable. His technology struggled to translate these words and failed continuously.

He passed by a black and white car with numbers on the sides, two uniformed men watching him with eyebrows raised and without any action to intercept. They calmly drank what smelled like coffee and smoked their bad cigarettes without any acknowledgement of his presence. Usually, those in uniform hurried to attack first but these two were apparently lazy. Because they didn't register as a superhuman problem, Stealth Black let them live.

One man dressed in rags paused short in digging through a trash bin to look at him. His lip curled as he gave Stealth Black a disgusted look. "Man, what you wearing, man? What's that wear? Lookin' like you belong to some pajama party, yah? Don't you know it's past your bedtime, Jimmy?"

Stealth Black paused in mid-step. Other pedestrians stared at him with befuddled expressions but continued on without losing stride. The homeless man looked down at his boots and shook his head with seeming revulsion.

"Man, something wrong with them shoes," he said with concern. "Ain't right to have them bubbles on your shoes, Jimmy."

"Who is this '_Jimmy'_ you speak of?" Stealth Black asked him, venturing in close to intimidate him. "Did I mention my name as Jimmy? Did I ask for your opinion? Look at you, wearing rags reeking of shit and -!"

The homeless man sneezed on him, then sniffled helplessly. Stealth Black reacted with a jerk backward, cape snapping about as he wiped at his hair and face. Wiping his nose, the man shrugged. "Sorry, Jimmy. Not been the best of days, lately."

"My name _isn't_ Jimmy! You ugly swine, I will _kill_ you and end your suffering," Stealth Black then threatened before his cape was yanked upon. He looked back to see that it was the weakling with the toy collection, sweaty and red-faced as he balled the hem of Stealth Black's cape up in both hands and yanked. Because he didn't want to move, Stealth Black stood his ground.

"Don't you dare," Law huffed. He ended up with hands on knees to catch his breath as the alien/cosplayer looked at him with disgust. He spoke each word between heavy pants. "Keep your freak hands to yourself."

"You dare _challenge_ me?" Stealth Black asked with a threatening gesture. "You _dare_ put yourself forth to be wiped from existence? You must be bored with your life."

Law looked at him, straightening up. His shoes were then adjusted to fit over his heels. Because he had been relaxed for the night, he was still clad in his thick, snug cardigan, a rainbow t-shirt with a hero logo on it, and sweats. He had to shove on his black frames because he'd already removed his contacts for the night. His hair was a mess, so he'd shoved his hat on. He looked like a Walmart Creature, but he was absolutely sure people weren't looking at him – they were looking at the costumed freak standing in front of him.

People were looking at them with expressions of amusement and curiosity, but none were that interested to investigate. No one seemed to even recognize the costume, but _Sora: Warrior of the Seas_ was a foreign series.

"Look, buddy," Law then said, hands out with a placating gesture, "this has gone on far enough. I can get those cops over there to talk to you about the damage you caused to my apartment, but there's…something weird about you that I should at least appeal to before I risk making myself look like a loser."

"You don't need any help with that," Stealth Black assured him haughtily. He looked over Law with such snobbery that Law felt an inch tall. "You already _are_ a loser."

Law frowned at him. Inside, he was still in awe over the utter similarities this cosplayer had with the actual character – who, admittedly, had a somewhat small part in the adventure series but…it was akin to actually facing a celebrity. His inner fanboy was pleased.

BUT there was the whole damage to his apartment/superhero landing/abnormal strength thing that had him floundering. He did not want to venture into the possibility that this was, _somehow_, the real deal. Because that would be crazy.

So he cradled one hand to flip Stealth Black off, holding it in such a way that only the costumed freak could see it. That snobby expression left his face with such a flash that Law felt relieved that this gesture was apparently universal. Red filled Stealth Black's face with such alarming intensity that it was amazing it didn't blow.

"You – _son of a bitch_ \- !" he hissed.

"Jimmy, be nice, now," the homeless man admonished.

Before Stealth Black could snap at him, Law said, "You want to play this far into the fantasy, _fine_. Let's feed into it. How did you wind up here?"

Stealth Black seemed to frown at him. "I was punched. Sora somehow managed to track me as I was battling him, and…I was punched. That fiend. Separating me from my brothers. Now, I have to find my way back so that we can complete the manufacturing of the quantum time tunnel so that we may sweep _back_ through time and prevent Sora from being recognized by the Marine Force. It is the only way to guarantee our future success with my father's inventions."

Law stared at him. He _knew_ that storyline. It was issue 197, and Sora had heard of Germa 66's plans to travel back through time. He had set forward to stop them, battled all five siblings at once, and destroyed Germa 66's home base by using the siblings' powers against each other and launching into a battle with their mad inventor father, who ended up accidentally decimating their island as he desperately tried to put the half-finished machine into its surmised function. It was a massive storyline that ended at issue 234. There was one glimmering cover that had created prism effects around each sibling, detailing their individual powers. He had that particular issue in its original packaging at home. Worth nearly eight hundred bucks.

He cleared his throat once he realized he was silent for too long. Even the homeless man was staring at them with a sort of expectation in Law's response.

Quietly, he said, "You realize it's a battle you can't win, right? Sora possesses the power of haki – none of you guys were ready for it. _You_ lost because you were punched into the ocean, and your cape nearly drowned you because you couldn't swim very well. Sparking Red was knocked out once Sora punched him between the eyes while he powered up. Electric Blue was suplexed into one of the ground's water fountains as he threatened to cause a huge electricity storm – shocked himself into unconsciousness while virtually doing the same to the clones gathered around to watch. Wrench Green pulled a castle tower onto himself – breaking his fingers in the process. Poison Pink fainted when Sora revealed what he had done to stop your father from following through with his intended goal."

Stealth Black stared at him with a puzzled expression. "Are you a mystical seer into the future?"

"Jimmy," the homeless man scolded gently. "No capes!"

"_Quiet_, Edna Mode!" Law snapped at him.

"Are you one of Sora's admirers? Someone who spies for him?" Stealth Black asked suspiciously, stepping up to Law with his gloved hands clenching at his sides. Law was able to get a close up of his spectacular hairstyle. It was still dusted with bits of debris in it. "This is the plan? You filthy scumbag, you think to sabotage me from succeeding…?"

"You fell into the ocean," Law insisted. "For this particular storyline, it was important to end the story in this fashion because it cleared a path for Sora to confront Judge while also learning of a nefarious plot being designed between Judge and his secret co-conspirator, Achy McHorn Egg, chemist extraordinaire. It also provided a setup towards issue number 560, when you penetrated a Marine Base to swipe particular parts to complete your father's invention, but during the time in the ocean since the fight with Sora, you had become specialized in a particular swimming ability that made it impossible to detect you infiltrating the base from the sea. The parts you needed were to create a serum that would turn people into crazed, controllable zombies but you were caught by one of Sora's colleagues when a pretty Marine caught your eye…"

Stealth Black's eyebrow twitched. He seemed to blush. "Well, that happens upon occasion," he mumbled awkwardly while Law stared, at a loss for words to this practically detailed reaction only captured in small panels.

"So, do you speak from the future, Paul?" the homeless man asked Law.

Law glanced at him then shook his head. "No, that particular issue was released three years ago. Currently, Germa 66 has been imprisoned for their misdeeds and rounded up to serve time in a Marine prison. Their suits claimed and locked away. But you siblings had to be separated because you kept trying to kill each other; in particular, they were trying to kill you because it seemed like you were willing to jump sides. Sora had been informed of this plot and was intending on speaking to you personally when he found himself involved in a grand battle upon Rosa…"

Stealth Black stared at him with such disgust that Law wondered if his tone had changed as he had been speaking. He was quite aware of how passionate he was about his favorite subjects so it was rather humiliating once he caught himself.

The homeless man nearby leaned forward with both elbows atop of the trash can. "Jimmy, it sounds like you're still fighting with this Sora. We cannot be having this, now. We must get along, yes?"

"_Who the hell are you_?" both Law and Stealth Black then asked the man with impatience. Grumbling, the man snatched up his fast food bags, slammed them into his full shopping cart and pushed it away from them. The two policemen nearby greeted him, to which he flipped them off as he passed.

Returning his attention to Law, Stealth Black asked. "Where are you receiving your information from? A mystical third eye? Or visions?"

"_What do you mean_ \- ? They're _comic books_," Law snapped at him. "Stop fucking around with this delusion of yours! Yeah, great costume, awesome detail but you need to talk to my landlord about what you've done to my place!"

"This…landlord…how _strong_ is he?" Stealth Black then asked curiously.

"I don't know. He's…a normal man…" Law waved a hand about. The policemen strolled over, chuckling.

"What's going on, here?"

"Nice costume, guy!"

"Everything okay here?"

Stealth Black looked from one to the other, judging their strength levels. But he'd already determined that they were weaklings that didn't require any more attention. They wore amused smiles and still held onto coffee cups, and Law sputtered nervously at their attention. Seeing his reaction told Stealth Black that these were enforcers of some type. They seemed to make passerby nervous.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine!" Law stuttered, embarrassed by the attention as the policemen looked him over to examine the costumer of the man nearby. "I mean, well – I'm just…trying to convince this guy to come – to get off the streets, he's….drawing attention, he's a little..."

"I'll say." One of them reached out and touched Stealth Black's kerchief. Stealth Black's vein reappeared at his forehead and Law intercepted hastily because some instinct he had inside of him screamed out with fright. As silly as he felt, he placed himself between the two to avoid any sort of injury caused by the costumed villain's behavior. The officer lost his smile while his partner started to look concerned.

"He gets…very agitated when he is touched," Law said helplessly.

Both of them looked at each other with understanding.

"_Autism_," one said.

"That explains it. Well…do you need help getting your partner home?"

Surprised that this was something easily suspected and given without any danger or threat, Law sputtered, "No, no, it's covered. Thank you very much, officers."

Law relaxed as the pair strolled back to their car. They regained their earlier expressions, unbothered by the confrontation. He turned and looked at Stealth Black, who looked slightly confused.

"I don't know how to say this without sounding…gullible," Law then said slowly, "but…I don't know if you're…like…this suit…? Is this…you jumped from the fifth floor without even slowing down, and broke through a wall with just your body, so…I just…need some proof that…what I am looking at is the real thing…"

Stealth Black furrowed his brow. "Of _course_ I am," he said testily. "Who else would I be, idiot?"

"A _really_ delusional dude wearing a really cool costume," Law returned without change in expression. "Granted, there are some people that are just really strong and coincidentally aligned with mysterious circumstances that _could_ create the damage that you have, but only under the influence of bath salts or other associated drugs, and – "

"Admittedly, I am…not as strong as my siblings," Stealth Black grumbled low, an air of bitterness around him. "It is my suit that – but why am I sharing my secrets with you? Somehow, you know details that cause me suspicion - !"

"_You are a comic book character_!" Law stressed with exasperation. He realized he sounded like Woody from 'Toy Story' and had to reel himself in a bit.

"Whatever gave you that idea? Are you stupid?"

Law stared at him. Then he looked over at the police officers, both of whom were climbing into their car. The lights began to flash and they pulled away quickly, heading down the street. Law looked back at Stealth Black, struggling to remain sane.

Stealth Black then looked beyond him with a low gasp. Law watched him run across the street – two vehicles slamming to stops to avoid hitting him – and intercept a woman in a dress as she strode down the sidewalk. "My lady! Such a _beautiful_ lady in such a hurry, where you going - ?"

She swung out with her purse, catching him upside the head. She then kneed him in the chin with one spectacular leap upward as Law hurried over, wincing at each impact. For the finishing move, she withdrew a can of mace from her purse and let the costumed freak have it. Law shifted upwind as she then stalked off, cursing at the coughing masked man. People were laughing at him, making efforts to avoid that particular section of the sidewalk. A car drove by, honking merrily.

Because his eyes started to burn, Law watched from a safe distance. Stealth Black was on his hands and knees, hacking noisily. He ended up pulling his mask and goggles from his face, revealing a rather handsome visage that was soon marred by saliva and snot caused by the coughing. Crossing his arms over his chest, Law ventured close enough to be heard.

"Women aren't as helpless here as they are where you're from," he warned. "They definitely do not like to be catcalled or approached by weirdos in a mask."

"Worth…it…I saw…panties…" Stealth Black coughed, wiping at his eyes helplessly. "What is this strange gas? It is _killing_ me!"

"It's a self-defense tool."

"As much as I am dying, I am very thankful that women are capable of defending themselves, no matter the circumstances."

Law rolled his eyes. Stealth Black's unabashed groveling over women was a joke to the reader. They were his only weakness.

"Whatever. This is taking it too far, man. C'mon. Get up. Let's go get some milk."

"What will that do? Forget it. I am an unstoppable man, I'll recover like one – "

"Until it comes to Sora…"

"…I will persevere and _win_ no matter what the circumstances are," Stealth Black said with determination, rising to his feet with a gloved hand to his chest. He wiped his face with the lapels of his cape. He seemed to be breathing easier. "I'm sure my sister would love that stuff. It is quite nasty. I fear I'll be irritated for the rest of the night. As a result, I am in a filthy mood. I will express myself as such just as we normally have when something doesn't go our way!"

In alarm, Law pushed himself between Stealth Black and the parked car with parking tickets stuffed under one windshield wiper. He then froze, wondering why he was even going along with the farce.

_Am I that desperate to _believe? he wondered. But the things that had already happened allowed him to feel that he wasn't _that_ crazy.

He thought fast as the determined expression on the man's face suggested that he was going to release his temper on the hapless vehicle. Stealth Black's fists rose in a protective gesture at his temples and a knee lifted. Waving his hands about, Law asked hastily, "How about something to eat? Something…immensely satisfying?"

That caught Stealth Black's attention. He cocked his head as he lowered his fists and foot back to the sidewalk. "Are you suggesting food? Well, I _am_ a little hungry…I would prefer something delicious."

Minutes later, both of them were seated at a table in a fast food restaurant nearby. People were giving them skeptical looks. Stealth Black wore such a haughty expression that many judged him sourly for it. He sat rigidly in his seat, gloved hands folded atop of his lap while Law looked embarrassed to be there. He clutched his receipt in hand, stomach rumbling noisily. He hadn't even finished his ramen – he remembered it was spilled on the carpeted floor at home.

Once their order was called, he retrieved it, setting the full tray between them. Stealth Black stared at the wrapped hamburgers and sleeved fries. Then he looked around himself incredulously, taking in the sight of other people's food. Law unwrapped a hamburger and set it down in front of him, while arranging the sleeve of fries to face coiled cups of ketchup.

"What is this…_trash_?" Stealth Black asked with uncertainty, upper lip curled. His mask hung over his kerchief, soiled in the fabric with the goggles layered over that. His eyes were puffy and red while his nose gleamed with a similar image. "_This_ is what you consider food?"

"Just eat it," Law chided, dunking a handful of fries into the ketchup. He ate, wincing at the heat. "It's satisfying. It's not gourmet, but it helps."

Stealth Black stared at him rigidly. "Does it look like I do not enjoy gourmet? Does it look like I prefer slop over a plate?"

"Well…no, but…everyone eats this."

"_Everyone_ does?" He then inhaled deeply, looking troubled. "It _smells_ in here."

_Not as bad as you_, Law thought. The other man's sweaty scent, combined with the other stenches he'd detected earlier seemed stronger in this small space. It almost made his eyes water, but that could have been from the pepper spray on the other man's clothes. It had caused others around them to move to other tables.

"Just…just eat, you're causing a scene…"

"I will not eat this filth. None of it will pass by my beautiful lips. It smells of grease and potatoes, and I shan't allow my rigid diet to partake in such…mockery…of…homemade food. This isn't homemade, you purchased it. Like a restaurant. Why is this _not_ a restaurant?"

Law rubbed his temples as that voice raised, demands leaving those 'beautiful lips' like bullets. People looked over at him with furrowed brows. "Youtube Influencer" was uttered, and condescension fell over the atmosphere like a disgusted feeling.

With an embarrassed expression, Law whispered as he dropped his forehead onto his hand, "Did you just ever so casually drop 'shan't' as part of a modern day conversation?"

"Don't tell me…it's not used here, either."

"Eee-ther."

"It is _eye_-ther, you uneducated piece of swamp trash."

"No one says 'shan't' here."

"Well, they _should_." Stealth Black rose from his seat, gripping the edge of the table. "And how dare you attempt to calm my temper with such disgusting food? _This is unacceptable_!"

He kicked the table up from the floor, scattering food everywhere. Everyone took notice then, watching as he then snap kicked the piece of furniture through the window like it was a martial arts performance. Law sat there with fries halfway to his mouth, wide-eyed and shocked as Stealth Black reacted with his traditional tantrum. Every Germa 66 sibling had a specialized tantrum display, and this one was _on point_. People were watching with amazement; some were rising from their seats, some looking for a camera. The manager burst out from a nearby office with a startled cry.

Breathing heavily, Stealth Black turned to face them. "What is the matter with all of you? Are you finding me a spectacle?"

"Hey, you do you, man, ain't nobody in here complaining about it," someone said with an amused chuckle from the back. "But how are you doing that? You working with the place for some viral spectacle?"

"YOU! What do you think you're doing?" the manager cried as he barged up to the cosplayer, catching sight of the broken window. Before he could say anything else, Stealth Black grabbed him by the lapels of his shirt and hauled him up into the air.

The customers and kids behind the counter all clapped and shouted with awe, and no visible panic. This was just a show to them. Law was horrified by how easily this was accepted. The manager choked by the force of his unsupported weight and the material held around his neck while Stealth Black looked around himself with a puzzled expression. He wasn't being taken seriously, and he wasn't being respected. The manager's feet kicked uselessly inches above the floor.

He tossed the man away from him and everyone's expressions began to change as the manager bounced off the counter, sending the registers and some cookie displays crashing to the floor. Nervousness started to build as faces began to reflect some horror and confusion. Law shot to his feet, convinced, now, that this was an actual person capable of actual damaging things.

"Stop, stop, _stop_! Stop! There's no need for this mindless destruction!" he exclaimed, hands on the costumed man's arm. Stealth Black jerked his limb out of his reach, heading for a table nearby. He kicked that up from the floor and out one window near the drive-thru. Glass shattered noisily as the table bounced over the hood of a waiting truck, the driver cursing loudly as impact rang out. People inside the restaurant began to clamor to their feet and hurry for the exits as Law looked panicked.

Approving of the reaction, Stealth Black grinned. The driver of the truck outside dropped out to investigate the damage and looked inside furiously. Catching sight of the costumed man, he hesitated with a bewildered look to his face before yelling, "You _fuck_! What the hell are you doing?"

"Shall we have some words about my actions?" Stealth Black asked, striding towards him. He lightly hopped out from the window while the hapless man looked him over with utter confusion. Before he could say anything, Stealth Black drove his bubbled heel into the man's chest, knocking him through the drive-thru window directly behind him.

People began to scream at this point, glass littering the inside as the truck driver hit the floor. The workers began to scatter.

Law raced over to him, clumsily climbing out from the window. "Oh, _God_, _listen_! If you continue doing this, the Marines will be summoned. _Sora_ will be summoned, and you can't take them all up on your own. Not in this state. Not in this manner. You can't sneak around as easily as you can where you're from because you are the only one that stands out! You're the only one with strange abilities! _Everyone_ will be looking for you! How long will your tech hold out in order for you to carry out your evasive abilities?"

Stealth Black considered this with a heavy frown. Seeing people flee the place, he considered the actions Law detailed.

"This isn't your fight, it's a useless battle," Law insisted with a placating gesture. "It's not like you to lose this control. This is your brothers' reactions, not yours."

Stealth Black scowled at him, then. Law knew he'd hit it just right because Stealth Black _hated_ to be compared to his siblings. He spent so many panels agonizing at this; it had inspired many forum threads dedicated to the head canon detail of Stealth Black's secret anxieties.

For the very first time since they met, Law began to accept that this was the real deal.

* * *

**A/N:** Keep your eye on the homeless man. This won't be his last appearance.

**Naghi-Tan**: It's _very_ bad for the knees lol!

**Nehalenia**: lol! As soon his attention returns to the matter, Law's going to have to fix it! There is still some sibling rivalry going on, as indicated here in this chapter…as for the depths of it, only Law really knows the truth!

**Guest**: Don't worry, I'll find some way to ruin it – like I always do :D XD T,T D:


	3. Chapter 3

**: : 3**

* * *

By the time the two made it back to Law's apartment, the streets were screaming with lights and sirens. Stealth Black didn't care for the chaos, but Law was pretty anxious about it. He winced at the hole in the apartment wall, counting himself lucky that it wasn't bad weather. He contacted his landlord while the comic book villain explored the rest of his apartment. Upon the confirmation that the landlord would visit first thing in the morning, Law hung up with a shake of his head. The villainous henchman was lingering around his toys, wearing an expression of disdain.

"I find it quite ironic that the maker of these…_toys_…had given Yonji such a chin," Stealth Black muttered with a sniff. "In actuality, it's quite weak. It connects straight to his stupid frog throat. And Niji has hunched shoulders – he tends to slouch. And Reiju's breasts aren't this big. They're small and shrunken. Her middle and hips are actually pear-shaped. She's self-conscious about that sort of thing."

Law stared at him while he scoffed at the figurines of Sora. "_Okay_…"

"Why do you not have one of me?"

Law looked to the ceiling. How to confess that he didn't actually care enough about Germa 66 figurines; that these were gifts from family and friends? "I'm…in the process of procuring the rest of the collection," he said slowly.

"Mine better be true to form," Stealth Black said snootily. "I won't stand for anything that tries to portray me as a weak character."

"Well…you kind of are," Law said with hesitation. That rooster head snapped around to his direction. "I mean, you choose to sneak around and hide in plain sight to avoid a battle while your siblings actively _engage_ in battle. Not exactly impressive. You're a cheap shot, which suggests you are a weak character."

That vein bulged while a face filled with red. To placate him, Law then said hastily, "Why don't you go and get cleaned up? Frankly, you reek – I mean, it'll help with that peppery smell."

"I don't have time for such luxuries. I need to find the rest of my family. I don't understand how Sora was able to…punch me clear through the ocean and into this world," Stealth Black murmured thoughtfully. "Frankly, it makes me wonder if he had somehow acquired – "

He paused in mid-musing and gave Law a suspicious look. "Why am I revealing my secrets to you?"

Law shrugged. "I've no idea…"

"Back to my original question. Are you a mystical seer? A third eyed freak of nature? Hmm, but you do not have a visible third eye…"

"I'm not – I mean…here." Law stepped over his broken television set and reached for the volumes that featured Germa 66. He subtly held his breath against the smell that wafted from the shorter man. He gave up and an exasperated noise. "You fucking _stink_. _Please_ go change or shower or stand outside."

Giving him an insulted look, Stealth Black visibly pondered his choices. After some chin rubbing, he shrugged. Reaching behind him, he untwisted what looked like a can – _just like in the comic panels!_ Law's inner fanboy squeed internally – and the bright light and waving tendrils of substance curled around Stealth Black like Medusa's snakes. Law caught glimpses of naked skin and shimmering material until the man standing in front of him was a snooty faced royal that wore a ruffled white shirt tucked into a pair of fitted trousers. The boots at his feet were slightly curled at the toes – they were heeled. The belt's insignia was of the same design as his costume. His blond bang hung over wide and hooded eyes and wisped over a gentle bone structure. He was almost pretty in the sense that his skin was clear and he wore his clothing well but he was quite manly enough to stink and wear an expression that showed utter distaste for the world that was below his.

Law was quite convinced that the man standing in front of him was the actual character that had only existed in the books he held in his hands. It was difficult to feel anything other than awe for the fact. He dropped his book to the floor while the snooty man looked at him with irritation.

"Do you stare because I am admirable, or because you are frightened of what I am able to do?" he asked, still with the rasp. He shoved the can into the waistband of his trousers and pulled out a silver cigarette case from his pocket. He moved to light it when Law snatched it out of his mouth and tossed it to the coffee table.

"You can't smoke here," he stuttered while the man's face tightened with a scowl. Attempting a joke, Law added, "It's against the Law…"

Sanji stared at him blankly. "And I care _why_ for this law…?"

"Because….that's actually my name. Trafalgar, my last name is…Trafalgar, my first name is Law…forget it…"

"That's a stupid name. Clearly, you are of no condition to enforce a law of any sort. You are a skinny, weird little man with weird eyes," Sanji then said, looking up at the taller man with considerable examination. Law tried to find amusement in the fact that Sanji kept referring to him as little when the blond had to look _up_ at him. "You are non-threatening and yet it is only your face that inspires terror. Do you wear makeup like a woman? Your parents named you with this consideration in mind? You are _puny_."

Law sighed noisily, reaching up to remove his hat and ruffle his hair. He then picked up the book, unaccustomed to the nervous shake of his hands. His heart was racing a million miles per hour. He cleared this throat noisily and opened the graphic novel to a page where the Germa family was milling about, discussing their future plans regarding the quantum time tunnel. The size of the panel was enough for each sibling to be rendered in their normal state and Sanji had a cigarette drawn in his mouth.

"See. Here," Law showed him. "This is the event I was talking about. I guess it's…current for you?"

"What does it say, you miscreant? I cannot read these odd runes…"

Law cleared his throat and read aloud a few word bubbles. He only stammered and stumbled because he was nervous.

The blond looked stunned at the near word per word moment that had occurred just the day before the fight. He snatched the book from Law's hands, looking at everything. It almost felt, from the angle of the panels, that someone had been there that day spying on them. Nearly every position they stood or gestured with in response to Garuda's words were absolutely accurate. Including Sanji's own outburst against his older brother Niji, who was boasting about his ability to down a foe before foe knew what happened. Both of them had shoved at each other before Ichiji stopped the fight with just a verbal warning and Yonji had snickered at their chastised stated while Reiju 'hmphed'.

Sanji looked at Law, regarding him with the utmost suspicion. Law seemed to understand his silent inquiry. "I didn't – I only read this, I don't write it," he said quickly. A touch too eagerly, he asked, "Why? Is it…is it accurate?"

"How…is there…quite possibly there is a reasonable explanation," Sanji muttered, flipping through the pages. He came to the battle with Sora and sneered but dropped the sneer when he watched his own actions being brought to life on paper – ending when Sora dropped him with a punch into the ocean water. He held that particular page up to Law, tapping at it. "_Read_. What – what does it say?"

Law cleared his throat to read the few bubbles aloud. "You: 'I'll drop this shitty bastard using my sky-walk – he won't even sense me until it's too late!' Sora: 'I can feel a presence behind me – closer, _closer_! Damn, it hurts to have to do this. If only there was another way - !'"

Sanji looked startled. He remembered thinking that exact same thing – he was uncertain how to feel about having all his personal thoughts detailed for someone to hear. A disturbing intrusion of his privacy. His hands went to his head, as if to shield it from telepathic invasion.

Sanji looked at Law, then encouraged him to continue. Law showed him that this was the ending of the chapter and gave a wild gesture as he used the graphic novel to wave at him. "You stink! Honestly! It's making my eyes burn! Do you not understand the importance of body deodorant?"

"I use perfumed talc."

"For an empire that's technologically advanced, you don't have access to basic body necessities? For Christ's sake, maybe your father should look into this…standing next to you is like standing next to some dude wearing sweaty gym clothes that should have been washed a decade ago…or a fucking jock strap that was used in a running marathon in the dead of summer."

Sanji started to look a little insulted. But he subtly sniffed himself and winced.

"The suit happens to trap a lot of things," he muttered with some self-consciousness.

"Here's a deal," Law negotiated. "You…wash up. Take a long shower. Then I'll read you the rest of this adventure."

"Or I could beat some willingness into you to assist – "

"It's probably the real reason why women avoid you. You _stink_. Women don't like men who stink."

Sanji made to continue arguing, but he considered this. Seeing that he won, Law showed him to the bathroom. It took nearly an hour of whining, arguing and negotiating, but the man finally showed back up into the living room with Law monitoring his washer and dryer set with worry as his clothes were cleaned. Having borrowed the other man's clothing, Sanji looked less like an imposing royal and more of an approachable human being who was self-conscious over the way he looked. Being that he was taller, Law's clothes hung on him in an unfavorable way.

Law had all the pages marked, so he read the rest of the adventure out loud to the younger man, who visibly grew upset. Law figured he would. The storyline ended with a shocking revelation. Sora had some sort of relationship with the siblings and while it was never confirmed it was pretty much speculation that they were his. There were thought bubbles that displayed concern or immense pride in the siblings' abilities during a fight, and he always seemed to hold himself back while battling them. The speculation amongst _Sora_ fans was pretty much confirmed without the actual weight of the confirmation on board.

Sanji wore a stiff expression that didn't reveal much, so Law couldn't confirm without verbal direction over whether this was _new_ news or old news confirmed. He wanted to ask but he understood that this real life character was taking in a lot at a time.

"Interesting," Sanji then muttered bitterly. "So it seems that this was…_is_ a losing battle. Despite our efforts and modifications, he'll claim victory every time. Clearly, Sora is God's right hand. This is why these adventures seem to favor him."

"Um…well, Sora is a warrior the writer dreamed up as a main character…it involves all of that imagined world matters. You're just a small part of that world. A minor character, even. Your brothers get more panel time than you do. Yeah, you have cool powers and abilities but none of it is as flashy and attention capturing as your brothers'. Your sister gets more attention because she's sexy."

Sanji looked alarmed, then apparently didn't know how to express himself.

Law ended up thinking that this was a significant concept for anyone to hear – even for comic book villains. Before he could say anything, Sanji asked, "And this other adventure you speak of? Where is that?"

Law was hesitant to show him that. He had the thought that if he gave this villain more information, it would somehow alter the storyline. That sort of power had him break out into a nervous sweat. Why was he allowed this amount of power? What sort of cosmic joke was this?

"It's a future prediction for you, right? Because you don't know what happened after you were punched into the ocean…so…wouldn't it be weird if - ?"

"It is weird right now, that you are showing me these things that are…not true and yet…" Sanji trailed off with an uncertain frown while Law looked awkward.

He couldn't stop admiring the other man – pretty sure his expression was a dead giveaway to his excitement. To actually see a flesh and blood embodiment of a character he'd only admired on paper sitting there next to him caused Law's heart rate to increase with the same effort he'd have during something physical.

"If only I could get into contact with my siblings just to know if…it is…perhaps Sora had something already on his person that made it possible for me to travel through…whatever continuum this is."

"It wasn't as if you were fighting near the tunnel itself."

"Obviously not within the vicinity of it." Sanji looked disturbed, then looked to the hole in the wall. He rose from the couch to venture over to it, looking up at the sky. He shook his head as he gave the light pollution a scornful look. "Can't see the stars here, either…"

Law shut the graphic novel closed and set it aside. Before he could stop him, the royal lit up a cigarette and blew smoke out into the night air. Someone from below shouted in surprise, asking what happened.

"You can't see the stars from your battle island?" he asked tentatively.

"Too many lights."

"But you're not always secluded to that island…"

"Every time I learn that there is something bigger than we are, I cannot help but be awed."

Law rolled his eyes.

Sanji looked out at this new world with an expression of wonder. "To think that we are only small characters in a world that favors only one…that we aren't as mighty as father claims…then every expression of fear from a conquered people is a delusional one."

"But it's real to you, so that matters."

Sanji considered this, then shrugged a shoulder in response.

Law looked at the mess on his floor. His ramen had dried, the stain lingered on the carpet with some shrunken vegetables and pieces of his tv littered the area around the stand and table. He began to clean it up, then noticed that his sketchbook was open. Hastily, he shut that closed and shoved it underneath the tablet that was now fully charged. He gathered up those things and set it all underneath the coffee table.

"What are you hiding?" Sanji then asked him suspiciously, flicking ashes out the hole. A dog barked at him noisily, someone screaming at Dave to shut up.

"You…don't want to know," Law muttered. "Considering that you come from a comic book world, you have to expect there are…certain things you don't want to learn of."

"Well, now I do. Because I suspect you are plotting my demise, and therefore, I must hasten to stop it," Sanji snapped, flicking the cigarette out the hole and striding towards him. Fearing that superhuman ability of his, Law watched as he snagged the items from underneath the coffee table. Sanji had no idea how to operate the tablet or open the laptop, so he opened the sketchbook instead.

Sanji's face burned brightly with pleasure and awe while Law's face flushed into a sweaty purple hue, pulling at the collar of his shirt. Sitting down primly, Sanji flipped through the pages.

"I know some of these ladies," Sanji whispered, hand clapping over his nose. Law looked at him with disgust as he then retrieved tissue from the nearby bathroom. Despite himself, as an artist himself, Law couldn't help but seek the villain's thoughts on his work.

"It…is mostly my imagination," he stuttered, taking a seat next to him and seeing that Sanji was looking at the sketch he'd made of some _Sora_ female characters; most in a state of undress, or in lewd positions. The forums and Tumblr enjoyed his work – he was nameless and genderless when posting, but his art was pirated and shared many times over when he posted them. It was one of his secret pride and joys.

"Honestly, you gave her bigger breasts than she actually has," Sanji murmured, stuffing tissue up his nose. "And…this one…is slightly chubbier. _Oooh_ but this one! Yes, we met her last week!"

_Issue number 164_, Law thought, envisioning that particular panel, which foreshadowed Sora's upcoming confrontation with Germa 66. The Vinsmoke siblings had gone gaga over this particular female, trailing after her with wolfish expressions until Garuda reined them in with a look.

"You have a particular style that is – hmm, childish and yet fairy like…"

"They are only ideas. I actually draw them electronically. I transfer my ideas onto my tablet and then alter it there."

It took Law over an hour to show off his works. The royal was absolutely floored by his ability, _oohing_ and _ahhing_ over every one. Flattered by the attention, Law went on to talk about his favorites, what inspired him to draw and argue about some of the characters (people) that Sanji disliked. He learned a lot about the individual nuances that Sanji knew of them, mentally gathering them into a collection Law would use later. Maybe he'd draw strips of his own to show off the characters in a way that only doujinshi could provide.

Before he knew it, he found himself sketching Sanji in his preferred pose. Law couldn't help but think of this as that moment in 'Titanic', and it somehow flustered him thinking about that while Sanji allowed Law to draw him from standing rather than taking a photograph as a reference. So his hand shook a little and he couldn't stop blushing. But he ended up transferring that sketch to his Wacom pad and illustrated Sanji with the necessary alterations that had the royal in utter awe.

"I am _fabulous_!" he squeaked joyfully. "You sure know how to draw a man to his preference."

Law glanced at him skeptically, massaging feeling back into his hand. He was tired, his eyes dry and heavy, but his excitement kept him going. A glance at the time told him it was nearly four in the morning. He looked down at the altered drawing on his pad – Sanji had demanded more manliness to him that gave him more heft and definition than he actually had. If Law had his preference, he would rather draw him as is – he was actually good looking in such a way that another man could glance at him with manly approval.

_Manly approval_, not - !

"But I do not have that red of a nose. All of your drawings have red cheeks and noses, is that a fetish of yours?"

"It's the _style_, man…"

Sanji wore the expression of someone who just didn't understand 'the style', lightly scratching at his nose again with self-consciousness. Law had to admit that he followed Tumblr tradition of giving all his drawings red noses. Maybe he'd change that.

"I'm actually pretty tired, so I will take my leave," Sanji then decided, rising up from the couch with a stretch. "Would you require a blanket for your own use?"

Law blinked cluelessly at him. Compared to the villainous things Sanji did and said in the graphic novels, having that small concern threw Law off. It gave some depth to Sanji's character to have consideration for others outside of himself. Then Law realized what Sanji intended. "Er…I always do when I'm in _my_ bed."

Sanji gave a haughty snort. "Do you truly expect that I, third royal sibling of Germa, sleep on the floor?"

"No, I was thinking the couch – "

"_You_ sleep there. I am a guest, and I prefer a bed. Now, where is it? Ah. Here. _Ugh_. Not comfortable sheets, but I am tired so it'll do for now," Sanji then muttered, disappearing into the bedroom while Law looked affronted. But he looked down at his pad and listened to the sound of boots and belt being removed.

_Ick, so _weird, he thought with trouble, attuned to the noises. He heard the familiar creak of the bedsprings, the rustle of sheets and a heavy sigh. He looked back at his pad and opened up a new document. He found himself drawing until the birds started singing and the morning sun flashed through the hole in the wall, alighting everything in a strangely revealing light. He looked at his newest drawing with approval – of Sanji in his clothes, looking sleepy while seated on a couch that looked exactly like his own. Nothing altered or manly about it – just some skinny dude in some other dude's clothes. It gave him an intimate feeling that made him feel…funny.

Law posted that to his Tumblr, and added "Modern AU", "sleepy prince", and "my imagination" as hashtags. In minutes, his Followers reblogged the picture with their own renditions of admiration while a few sent him Anonymous messages as to why he was drawing a minor male character with hints of gay to it. Others loved the thought that he was allowing a male character to be depicted as vulnerable when _Sora_ was about the manly might of male characters pummeling each other for victory and power.

_If they only knew_, he thought deviously. He could hear the other man snoring from his room. Before he knew it, the knock at his door rattled his skeleton. He looked at the time and was shocked that it was nearly nine am. He scrambled to hide the evidence and hurried to the door. The landlord was a middle aged man that wore vests and thick, coke bottle glasses. Once he saw the damage, he visibly buckled at the knees.

"I don't know how it happened," Law explained while giving a mock look of dismay to the damage. "One minute I'm eating dinner and the next…_this_."

"This is _outrageous_!" the man cried, hands to his face as he gaped.

"As you can see from the damage, it occurred from the outside," Law pointed out. "This wasn't an inside blast. So perhaps this was the work of a meteorite, or perhaps frozen waste product from a passing plane…"

The landlord made a few phone calls while wearing an expression of disbelief. Maintenance men entered, took pictures, and began using plastic and temporary particle boards to cover up the hole. Law cleaned up most of the mess after photographs were taken for insurance purposes and a police officer dropped by to make a report. The group joked about it being the work of aliens and Law wanted to tell somebody that they were half right about it. But it sounded crazier in his head to speak aloud.

After all the drilling and pounding stopped and a light mess cleaned up, Sanji emerged from the bedroom with a dirty look towards the activity. The landlord caught sight of him and looked at Law with skeptical judgement.

"Former college roommate," Law explained, wincing at the sight of the royal and hoping he didn't say anything. "His wife kicked him out of the house for...things. He's only temporary until his father can make room for him at their old place. It should only be a couple of days."

The landlord wore an indecisive frown. But after a look around the place, considering the mess in the kitchen, he seemed to come to an agreement with the obvious. He looked at Law with doubt once more as the crew filed out.

"Don't make it permanent," he murmured as Sanji scowled at him, ruffling his own hair. Once the apartment emptied, Sanji looked to Law and made an expression of distaste.

"Did you not sleep well?"

There was that consideration again. It knocked Law's thoughts off-course.

"I slept on the _couch_," Law reminded him. But he was fully aware that his eyes were heavy and his expression slightly delirious. He hoped he didn't have charcoal smears on his forehead and face, where he liked to rest his hand when he was concentrating on a subject.

"I'm hungry," Sanji then said airily. "What's for breakfast?"

Law knew the haughty royal wasn't going to be happy with his intended suggestion of microwaved breakfast platters from the freezer. So he winced. "How about eating out?"

"Again with that trashy food? _I will not_! I was traumatized by the filth you intended on poisoning me with last night!"

Before Law could suggest anything else, Sanji looked towards the kitchen. There was a slightly hopeful look to his face. Law couldn't help but stare, memorizing the expression for later detailing.

"Perhaps I can…experiment a little while I am here," Sanji then mused, drifting towards the kitchen. Then he shot Law a warning look. "You'll keep this moment a secret?"

"Aye, aye," Law said, enraptured by the openness of that previous expression and eager to learn more about this character come to life. He mimed zipping his lips and Sanji nodded to accept this, venturing into the kitchen with a little more confidence than he had earlier.

* * *

**Naghi-Tan:** There's always a few! XD

**Gen(guest):** Lol he's walking into this completely unaware!


	4. Chapter 4

**: : 4**

Law was vibrating with nervous excitement when he showed up for work. A socially clumsy person by nature, he stuck mainly to himself and came off as rude and stand-offish when approached. It wasn't that he was a mean person – far from it – but his gestures were forceful and his words neglected. His head was mainly in the clouds. But today, despite his lack of sleep, he was quite aware of the things going on around him.

He clocked in on time and sat at his station, knees jiggling underneath his desk. He glanced around him, visibly taking in his colleagues' expressions. Trying to determine who had noticed his new state of mood and if they could tell he had a secret.

This morning's breakfast had been a disaster; despite Law's instinct telling him not to partake in it, Sanji had stood over him threateningly until Law finished every bite and told him every detail of how things tasted and how he felt eating it. Sanji clearly didn't know how to cook but it was apparent he loved the idea of it. It seemed to be the only distraction Law could use to keep the haughty prince occupied while he slaved away at work for the next eight to ten hours at the hospital.

He'd also crammed his bag of all graphic novels from the adventure Sanji had told him about and stowed those in his work locker. There was something in Law's mind that told him telling Sanji about his future imprisonment would cause some cosmic tear in his universe; change his world as Law knew it, and he was positive he didn't want that responsibility in his hands.

The thought of having such grand cosmic power made him nervous. His stomach rumbled with upset and he cringed as he glanced around self-consciously. Upset or the nearly raw breakfast Sanji had cooked; he couldn't decide. He ended up leaning over his desk, willing the discomfort away. His colleague looked over with concern.

"McDonald's?" Shachi asked, snapping at his gum. Ever since Law introduced himself, that guy always had gum in his mouth. "Told you not to eat so many of those things."

"You get paid to shit in a nice bathroom, go take advantage of it," another advised. The billing department wasn't exactly private – all of them were quite nosey and interruptive, and Law felt a hot sweat hit him at that moment. He glanced over at his boss – a flashy, flamboyant man that walked on his tiptoes to make sure all of them were calling and billing all the right numbers to all the hapless people that had used hospital services.

A long time ago, Law had dreamed of becoming a surgeon. It was his destiny to do so – but things happened to a point where he'd missed out on schooling and appropriate motivation to do so. Now he worked in the billing department as a customer service representative and spent most of his days staring blankly at a screen while a screaming customer ripped him to shreds for being personally responsible for the hospital's unreasonable costs of care.

But at least he had his art.

He closed his eyes to will the bubbling of his guts away. _Damn you, Sanji_, he thought helplessly. To distract himself, he slipped on his headset and turned on his phone, determined not to spend his first ten minutes of work in the bathroom. After logging onto the system, he saw the full queue and brought up the reference spreadsheet to assist him. But after making sure Bon Clay was occupied, he looked over at Shachi.

"Did you hear the news?" he asked as Shachi snapped his gum noisily while he muted a customer. "Of the…superhuman at the burger place on Wallace Street last night?"

"No," Shachi replied, blowing a bubble before snapping away again. He gave Law a puzzled look. "Was this real, or a dream?"

"It was very real."

"Nothing. What happened?"

Law wore a confused expression. Wouldn't Sanji's actions be noticeable? Dude kicked tables from the floor and caused chaos on other humans. _Surely_ that must have made the local news stations as law enforcement were notified. He was uncertain of carrying on the subject as Shachi looked at him with confusion. Law's stomach rumbled once more and he ripped of his headset.

He rushed off to the bathroom and returned with an exhausted expression. He was fairly certain his insides were empty but the ominous feeling of illness seemed to linger in very sensitive areas. Bon Clay was suddenly at his side with a flutter of hands.

"You have the stench of potpourri lingering on you," he accused shrilly while Law slunk back to his station. "Could you please refrain from taking advantage of our lax bathroom policies ten minutes into your shift? _Unacceptable_!"

"Mr. Clay," Law responded tartly, pulling on his headset and reactivating the line, "I don't have the time to explain myself. I must attend to other matters other than your accusations."

Bon Clay inactivated the line with a dainty press of his fingertip – the nails absurdly long for a man. Law stared down at that unattractive nail, wondering if it were real or fake. Those around them all cringed as they forced themselves to focus on their customers.

"This isn't an accusation," Bon Clay trilled, leaning in to sniff him. Law's shoulders hit his earrings as he cringed at the feel of the man's nose pressed up against his neck hairline. "You have the lingering scent of our bathroom on you!"

"Why are you smelling me? This is an invasion of privacy, Mr. Clay. _Sexual harassment_."

"This is _not_ sexual harassment! This is me, pointing out the obvious! I only say this because your station was not occupied within the half hour I started! Twenty minutes ago was the beginning of a new work day and you. Were. Not. _Here_." Bon Clay leaned in to look at him, fluttering heavily made eyes while Law looked to the side, trying to avoid the invasion of personal space. "Your eyeliner is a little off, today. Were you trying to correct it?"

"I do not wear makeup, Mr Clay. _Please_."

"I'd always been against a man who wears makeup along with his tattoos!" Bon Clay cried while his lips sparkled beneath the unforgiving florescent lights above him. Law managed to prevent rolling his eyes from behind his glasses. "I cannot keep up with the standards of you hipster wannabes with your stupid body decorations! Soon, you'll be taking advantage of company worktime to nurse grievous body injuries caused by more piercings and infected tattoos and we cannot have that here!"

Law did regret his visible tattoos – products of youth. He rubbed his fingers with a sheepish look.

"I don't wear makeup, and I'm not planning any more piercings or tattoos," he muttered.

"Then your sleeplessness should not be blamed upon your absence!"

Law wore a confused look while he logged in once more to retrieve his spreadsheet. His stomach gurgled dangerously once more, and Bon Clay stilled to listen. He pressed his oily head up against Law's shoulder while Law cringed once more, body breaking out with goosebumps.

"_Unacceptable_!" Bon Clay shrilled, prancing away. "If you've got the flu, you must call in! My fragile and sensitive body cannot take in an invasion I'm not prepared for!"

"Mr Clay," Law snapped back at him, turning in his seat to do so, "this is clear and obvious sexual harassment. You've invaded my personal space and forced me to feel uncomfortable with your advances! I told you 'no' the first time, and this is the last!"

Bon Clay gasped noisily, whipping around to look back at him with outrage. He was in Law's space in the space of a second, clinging to the back of his chair while leaning over him to speak with gritted teeth. Law tapped on the first call line and answered professionally while Bon Clay refrained from interfering. But he drew a line over his own neck as he fluttered away.

Shachi looked over at him and gave him a sympathetic expression as the old woman on the line screamed at Law for billing her for the excessive use of IV fluids.

The day ended finally, and Law hurried home. The hole in his apartment was glaringly obvious, and his messages were mainly from his landlord detailing the repair timeline. He was encouraged to find someplace to stay in the meantime, but there was no way Law could afford to do so. He opened his apartment and was grateful to see that Sanji was still in the kitchen, glaring at the stove. All around him were disposable plates of food and trash from emptied boxes and cans. Law was pretty sure his cupboards had been cleared out with what he had and slowly closed the door behind him.

"Where did you go?" Sanji then demanded, throwing down a ladle that looked melted, abandoning a bubbling pot of something that smelled rank. The very scent of everything he'd cooked caused Law trouble, his fingers going to his nose to plug briefly while his eyes burned. "I had questions and concerns to express, and yet you never returned. I'd started to think that you did not appreciate my efforts and had sought to run away from me."

Law touched his emptied stomach with regret. "I had work."

"'_Work'_? Doing _what_? Your first and only concern should be my pain and my unwelcome circumstances," Sanji huffed, looking him over. His face hardened with disdain as he examined the plaid shirt underneath the light sweater and jeans that were frayed at the hems. "Why is it that as I look upon you, I feel like bullying you?"

"You mean, you already haven't been?" Law tossed off his messenger bag onto the couch, and noticed that his shelves had been fiddled with. "Where…are some of my figurines?"

"I noticed a little dust collecting amongst and around them, and I decided to clean them. Unfortunately, they didn't survive," Sanji said, looking at the trash can. Law noticed broken pieces of his figures piled up atop of food waste and looked at Sanji with irritation. They were some Sora action figures and the male _Germa 66_ collection. "I can't help it if they couldn't stand up to my aggressiveness. Also, I am insulted that you left me here alone. What if I required any type of assistance? I tried to call out for help and your neighbors didn't appreciate that at all. Oh, and the enforcement security team informed me that you are to call them once you arrive…I heard them muttering about leaving children home alone, but surely they weren't referring to me, as I am a full grown man…"

Sanji held up a card and Law snatched it, realizing that a police officer requested that he call him immediately. He looked at Sanji with helpless action while the prince crossed his arms and looked stubborn. At that point a knock sounded upon his door, and since he was closest, Law answered it.

One of his neighbors, a big, large woman with a cigarette in her mouth glared at him from the doorway.

"Your kid here was causing a ruckus the whole fuckin' day! I don't care who you take for company, but you gotta change your escort services to get someone a little quieter!" she snapped at Law, who wore an expression of confusion. "He was yelling in the halls for a servant! I don't know what he meant by that, none of us are his damn servants! I work a night shift in construction, I need my sleep!"

"I…apologize, Ms…Dan Dan?" Law offered tentatively, glancing at Sanji, who frowned up at the woman. He wore such a rude expression that Law wanted to slap him. Law then looked up at the ginger-haired woman with apology, not wanting any trouble from those that lived around him when he'd lived this long in relative peace. "Um…whatever trouble he caused you, I…apologize. And, uh…escort? I'm sorry, forgive me, but that's far from the situation - "

"He is wearing _your_ clothing like a day after _tramp_," Dadan pointed out with an obvious expression, Law frowning at Sanji, and then at her for the suggestion that made his cheeks light up with embarrassment. "Also, he came up to my place while I was tryin' to sleep, and bullied my old man into taking our _television_! Can we _please_ get it back? Or do I have to take it by force? You're lucky I didn't call those policemen back to deal with this problem! It appeared to me that this one's a little slow in the head, so I took pity on you and waited for you to come back home."

Law looked at Sanji with confusion, then whipped his head around to see a thirty-two inch set atop of the television stand that didn't belong to him. He was horrified to see the moving figures on the screen from last night's porn, his face and neck blowing up with humiliation. He whipped his head around to look at Sanji, who looked mighty smug.

"Her companion assisted me with locating the program that you'd been watching last night," Sanji said cheerily then frowned. "Unfortunately, there appears to be no sound available, so I'd assumed the party I borrowed it from was deaf."

He then looked at Dadan with accusation. "From the sounds of it, she can hear just fine! Why were you ignoring me?"

Dadan gaped at him. "Are you _stupid_? My old man didn't hook it up properly because he was considerate of the rest of us! Ya can't be watching porn at high volume! Some of us proper people don't want to be hearing it!"

"Are you saying he _lied_ to me?" Sanji snarled, fists clenching at his sides.

"I am so so _sorry_," Law apologized to the glaring woman, hastily leaving the doorway to unplug the set from the wall.

"What are you doing?" Sanji cried in outrage. "I was watching that!"

"Young man, you are taking advantage of him," Dadan snapped at him, waving her finger about. "Who the hell are ya, anyway? And what's that in the kitchen? It's flaming."

Law whipped his head around to see flames dancing above the bubbling pot and Sanji looked over with shock. After pushing the television into Dadan's hands, Law raced over to the kitchen. He removed the pot from the stove top, dropping it into the sink. He ran water over it while Dadan took her leave and Sanji gave a disgusted exclamation. Law didn't know what Sanji was attempting to cook, waving smoke away from his face as tap water doused the items.

"I need a babysitter," he murmured to himself as he looked over at Sanji.

"I need to figure out how to get back home," Sanji then said, rounding the counter to look over his dishes. Seemingly distracted, he pointed out each one. "These dishes are from my homeland. They are to be enjoyed. I figured since you were gone for so long, you'd need a snack."

"Oh, it's okay," Law said hastily, hand to his stomach. "I'm…still full from this morning."

Sanji looked at him with outrage. "But I spent most of the day thinking about your needs! Are you trying to insult me?"

"I'm not 'trying'," Law said slowly, "I'm _definitely_ insulting you. All day long I was in the shitter, neglecting my work because of your breakfast. You're not a good cook. You suck. I cannot take in another meal without losing the rest of my insides."

Sanji's mouth dropped open with outrage, face filling with red. But he pouted, arms crossed tightly over his chest. He glared at the full countertops of abandoned, mushy or burnt dishes of unidentifiable food. Law was pretty sure he had no idea what any of them were supposed to be. He examined all his cupboards and realized he had nothing left but a jar of peanut butter. But even that looked half empty. He looked into the flooded pot to try and identify what was in there.

"Well, admittedly, I know nothing of this," Sanji muttered. "But I was only trying to help."

Law sighed. He removed his glasses to rub at the bridge of his nose. "Thank you for that. But, um, maybe you should follow a cook book for things. I don't have that, but we can look it up on my laptop."

"Also," he added, "you absolutely cannot be screaming for a servant. There are none here. It's you on your own, you figure it out. But for the love of Christ, please, don't burn this place down! I get that you're trying, but this is dangerous!"

Sanji wore a pouty expression, still sulking. Law took pity on him – it felt like an easy emotion.

"Let's look on the internet for something to occupy you with tomorrow, and we can get what you need tonight," he suggested.

"I need to go home! Show me more of your books so that we can figure out how I can return to my family! Surely, they are missing me by now."

Law wondered if that was true – the Vinsmoke siblings were modified so that none of them were capable of compassion or empathy, Garuda insisting on true, invincible warriors. But Sanji was confusing because he was capable of these things.

"Maybe," he said slowly. "But…honestly, I'm just an ordinary man. I know nothing about time travel or alternate dimensions. How you arrived here is just…an incredible phenomenon."

"Then '_phenomenon'_ me out. Surely there is someone out there that has an idea. This…these books…they are told by someone, are they not? Then find him. Perhaps he knows."

Law shrugged, thinking that the creator of _Sora_ had bigger things to think about than listening to some foreign fan discussing his problems with him. But perhaps giving it a try wouldn't hurt anyone. He signaled for Sanji to follow him, and they sat on the couch together while he pulled his laptop out. He showed Sanji how to use it, but it seemed useless for the alien to grasp the concept, considering the strong differences in translation.

How odd for this to happen when they could understand each other just fine.

He sent an email to the creator's manager, knowing it'd be discarded and ignored because of the outrageous story behind it. How many did that person and their team field crazy emails like his? Law didn't think he'd get anything more but a Thank You notice for his attention. But Sanji seemed satisfied with the process.

At work the next day, Law was struggling to keep his eyes open while he listened to a man sniffle his way through his bill complaints.

He'd spent most of the night drawing while Sanji snored next to him, cradling a new cookbook to his chest. They'd found it at the thrift store, and it had taken a couple of hours to drag the alien prince out of there. The man had apparently never set a foot in a store before, so he looked at everything like they were fresh treasures. Law found him some clothes, a cookbook and new kitchen supplies before they hit the grocery store and that was a near three hour adventure because the alien had something to say about everything he saw. It was like dragging around a tired toddler because that prince lacked social skills. Security approached them twice but they left without much of an event.

Law was exhausted but he'd been inspired enough to draw a comic strip detailing the adventure. Most of his fans loved the idea of the "modern AU" while some unfollowed him because of the lack of canon details. It felt like such a pleasurable secret to him – he had the actual character living in his apartment with him and no one knew it.

He was positive these actions would have consequences, but he wasn't going to think about them right now.

His skin tingled and rose into violent goosebumps as he realized Bon Clay was leaning over his chair to look into his face. His headset knocked against the man's outrageous flower collar and scraped a load of makeup off his face.

Bon Clay shrieked in outrage, everyone jumping in reaction. Slapping his hands over his ruined makeup, Bon Clay danced in place while Law settled his racing heart with a tattooed hand over his sweater vest.

"Murderer!" Bon Clay cried. "Ruining a man's face simply because you're jealous of him!"

"_Outrageous_," Law snapped at him, turning in his seat to face him. "You were sexually harassing me once more. I will speak out against this, Mr Clay, do not think that I won't. I might look like a timid man, but I assure you, I am not."

"_Timid_?" Bon Clay snarled, shaking his seat with both hands. "Which part of you looks '_timid'_?"

Shachi struggled not to laugh but it erupted into a cough that drew Bon Clay's ire.

"I am documenting all of your harassment, Mr Clay. Once I submit this very detailed report to your supervisor, you will regret it," Law continued sternly, wiping his headset clean with a Clorox wipe.

Bon Clay danced from one foot to the other with his face purplish-red. "You will _not_! This is _not_ harassment! I was simply performing my job duties with making sure that you were actually working! You're staring into space and clearly not paying any attention to the customer on line! I merely wanted to firmly suggest that you bring your mind back to task and focus on the here and now. If you are unable to perform your job duties, then you must take the necessary time off to recover from the flu."

"Which part of me suggests I have the flu?" Law asked incredulously. "I am of perfect health."

"_You are_ \- !"

"Frankly, Mr Clay, your obsession with me is making me uncomfortable. Since I started working here, you've attempted to flatter me in any way possible, and, as a man, I must admit that the attention has driven me into a very jumpy state of mind, to which I dread coming to work every day…"

Bon Clay sputtered noisily, then fluttered off while people struggled to return their attention to their individual tasks. Shachi looked at Law with concern while Law huffed, pulling his headset back on.

He looked at Shachi with a limp shrug. "I'm just fucking with him. Honestly, my mind is elsewhere."

"You look like you haven't been sleeping," Shachi admitted. "You look like shit."

"I feel like shit…? But it's all for a good reason." Law bit his lip, wanting to share his secret but unsure if he should. "Are you…an adventurous man?"

Shachi looked confused, snapping his gum noisily. "Uh…"

"I mean…of an open mind?"

"Well…_I guess_…?"

"Do you know what _Sora: Warrior of the Sea_ is?"

Shachi lit up. "My roommate watches that! But I'm not into cartoons."

Law looked at him flatly. "_Sora_ is not a cartoon."

Shachi laughed. "That's what he says, too. Wears the same face. If it's not made of real people, it's a _cartoon_, no matter where it comes from."

Law then hesitated speaking about it if Shachi wasn't a true believer. He glanced around himself, catching sight of Bon Clay re-applying his makeup at his desk. But he then whispered to Shachi, "There is an alien living in my apartment. He keeps me up at all hours of the night."

Shachi's face froze while his gum snapping ceased immediately. Law couldn't see his eyes, but he knew _that_ look. Of course the man wouldn't believe him. So he exhaled lightly and took a call. Shachi stared at him with doubt then returned his attention to his screen.

: :

Law was walking home when he noticed a familiar face lingering around the apartment complex entrance way. He furrowed his brow as he struggled to remember where he'd seen this man. The large frame was bent over a trash can, shopping cart pushed up against a light pole, but the fact that he was there made Law wonder if he'd ever seen him before Sanji had appeared. He had to be suspicious of anything and everything – after all, if there was an alien character that arrived here on Earth without a true explanation, there was always a pursuer nearby.

Of course, Law then considered that since Sanji was a villainous henchmen, there'd be a hero after him. So maybe he couldn't be suspicious…but he felt funny because of the time he spent with Sanji that allowed Law to feel empathy for him.

Which put him in a weird place.

The man straightened up from the trash can, humming. Once he caught sight of Law staring at him, he froze.

Then he erupted with a laugh. "Paul! There ya are, man! Been looking for you! Seen Jimmy around? I miss our chats…"

Law stared at him for several moments, then shook his head. There was no similarity of this man to any hero in _Sora,_ so it made sense that this man was just a coincidental mob character that happened to drift into the timeline.

"No," he lied. "My name isn't Paul."

He walked off, feeling a little distracted. This secret was wearing into him. He figured he wouldn't touch his Wacom pad, today. He needed some sleep – Bon Clay was going to get him fired, and he couldn't afford that.

The man watched him go, then looked into his shopping cart. So of course Law didn't see the smirk that crossed over the man's features as he clenched a fist out of victory.

Law entered his apartment and was stunned to notice that Sanji wasn't there. He hastily dropped his bag and checked each room, growing terrified with every passing second. He then left his apartment to knock on the doors closest to his, Dadan ripping her door open with a snarl. He made to ask her a question when she pointed inward towards the prince standing at her counter, looking at Law reproachfully.

"_Get him out of here_!" she snarled at Law, the smell of cigarette smoke and burning food wafting around her. "I am not this man's babysitter! What is _wrong_ with you? Get rid of this tramp!"

"This woman played me for a fool," Sanji cried with accusation, waving a wooden spoon about while the timid man next to him worried his apron with both hands. The kitchen counters were littered with various pots and pans, with what looked like burnt bricks settled on some plates. "She claimed to teach me how to cook, but only made me toast! What good is a woman that looks like her if she cannot cook?"

"_What's wrong with the way I look_?" Dadan snarled, reddening.

Sanji 'tsked' while looking up at her with a scornful expression. "Not like a woman, I can confess to that. Are you actually a - ?"

"_I'm so sorry_!" Law apologized to Dadan before marching in and snatching the spoon out of Sanji's hand and setting it aside. He dragged the prince out after him and pushed him towards his apartment. Then turned to face Dadan once more. "Thank you for keeping him out of trouble, I'm _so sorry_, I'll make sure this won't happen again."

"Make sure of it, or I'm calling the cops, or killing him myself!" she hissed at him before slamming her door shut.

Law returned to his apartment and shut his door before looking at Sanji.

"You can't keep me prisoner for long," Sanji told him. "I demand that you return me home. After serious consideration, I have come to the conclusion that _you_ are holding me for ransom. Somehow, you brought me to your world and your devices that you use to communicate are hiding your true intentions."

Law stared at him before removing his glasses to wipe his eyes. He replaced them to then scan his apartment for any signs of trouble, but the only things left behind were dirty counter tops of Sanji's attempts to make dinner. It didn't smell bad, but he didn't trust the food that was just sitting there.

"What did you make?" he asked, venturing over to scan the dishes. Watery mashed potatoes ran onto the countertop, with bloody meat staining a worn wooden cutting board. Spice shakers revealed attempts to make these things pleasurable but the scent coming from these foods made his eyes water. The cookbook was open but Sanji's written notes were in the same scribble Law had seen in _Sora_ – unintelligible with no real meaning behind it.

"Don't change the subject!"

"Is this the stuff we bought yesterday? What is this?"

Sanji sighed noisily, leaning against the counter to frown down at the content. "This is beef wellington and mashed potatoes. But…it does not look like what that book details. This is the wrong beef."

"Because we bought _minced beef_ and not lamb."

"I cannot understand your runes! What is the difference? If it is beef wellington, how is this beef different from that beef?"

"They are two different animals," Law pointed out. It took some bravery to pick up a spoon and scoop some watery potatoes to his mouth. He shuddered, but managed to swallow while Sanji watched him with uncertainty. "This…could use more potatoes. Less…garlic…And I can't eat that – that cow is still mooing."

Sanji hung his head while a look of frustration crossed his face. Law paused in mid-speech, fascinated by the human expression. "I knew it wasn't right! Father always told me I was a failure. I cannot get this mixture correct, no matter what I do. My brothers would always get it right the first time, and I cannot – this is my third attempt! Perhaps this is _his_ doing – _he_ was responsible for this – misadventure! He and Sora were conspiring to remove me."

Law set the spoon down and struggled to find the right words to say. But because he had absolutely no idea what to say or what the family dynamics consisted of, he said lamely, "Perhaps…"

Sanji sighed noisily with some dejection.

"We don't know for sure, but what's certain is that I had no hand in this," Law said quickly. "You are _definitely_ from another world, and we are very different people. People like you don't exist here, and people like me…definitely don't exist in your world. So how you came to be here is still a mystery…I don't know where to start in order to return you. I think all we can do is wait for someone to find you."

Sanji looked up at him with uncertainty. It caused Law a weird '_badump'_ that horrified him. "That could take a lifetime, or perhaps no one is looking for me. You suggested that we are villains in Sora's world – who would want to look for a villain to return him?"

Law looked around them awkwardly while Sanji waited for an answer. He then gave Sanji a helpless look, uncertain of how to answer that.

Sanji then left the kitchen with a disappointed look. Law watched him walk away, noting with some agitation that Sanji's clothes still had the tags on them from the thrift store. It was a weird outfit consisting of a linen blazer, a pink silk flowered shirt and white shorts with some horrible boating shoes. There was even a fake flower inserted in one breast pocket. Law walked after Sanji and tore the tags away, Sanji looking at him with outrage.

"_My outfit_!"

"This is trash," Law pointed out. "No one wears price tags on their clothes."

Sanji looked at him with confusion, taking the tags from his hand and examining the bright labels. "Your world is plain and doesn't make any sense. I thought these were a pop of color to add some character to my outfit. Our clothes doesn't come with these…"

Law struggled to hold back a sudden burst of _moe_. That expression and miserable voice, the way Sanji looked at the price tags and understood them for the wrong reasons – it caused a welling of feeling inside of Law that wanted to burst outward. He would have to sketch and save it for later. He'd promised himself to get some sleep, tonight.

"Look…let's go look for some answers. I think we should start with the trajectory of your fall," Law then suggested. "Come along. We're going outside."

"Let me get my suit, just in case we run into some heroes that might be looking for me," Sanji said quickly, brightening up.

Law made to stop him, but it made some sense. He sighed, then rummaged for his phone and wallet. Looking at the device, he had a bunch of notifications of people reblogging his works and some messages, but nothing else. For the first time in a long time, he felt disappointed that he didn't have any close friends to reveal his secret to. Thinking about his office colleague's reaction, Law felt awkward but at the same time grateful that he couldn't talk about this to anyone else. Maybe it was some cosmic thing in place that this happened to _him_ and no one else.

He slipped both items into his pockets as Sanji returned, thrusting the can containing his Raid Suit into his blazer pocket.

"I am ready," he announced grandly, waiting for Law to open the door for him.

With a roll of his eyes, Law did so, making sure he had his keys. He didn't expect anything to really happen, but he kind of hoped that more excitement was to come.

* * *

**A/N:** I'd always wondered why Dan Dan watched Garp's grandkids…what was their connection? Did I miss something? D:

**Naghi-Tan:** heh heh Law with a Tumblr account and his random actions of fangirling is funny to me XD That's the worry they'll both encounter someday… T.T

**Guest**: It's a wonderful combination! Law has hints of Wesley Gibson to him lol


	5. Chapter 5

**: : 5**

Using his thumb to judge the angle of the damage caused to his apartment, Law squinted at the angle Sanji had to have used to slam through his wall. _It didn't make any sense_, he realized, opening his eyes as he studied the light polluted skies. In order to build that much speed and force, Sanji had to have come in at an impossible slant that would have destructed the buildings directly in front of his. Yet, there was no damage to them that Law could see from his position on the street. He stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets and stared up at the visible damage with alarm.

Sanji was watching people pass by – more enraptured by the activity around him than the act of locating his origins. Law wondered if he were an alien from another planet – or a visitor from an alternate universe. Both were equally as fascinating. Sanji lit up his cigarette and exhaled fragrant smoke into the night air while Law stared up at the plastic dangling from the hole in his apartment wall and wondered what Sora had done to this alien. Was Sora looking for him – how cool would it be if Law could meet him, too?

He would just _die_, Law was sure of it, feeling his cheeks warm with pleasure.

"Maybe it was a portal of some type," he mumbled. "Sora must have had something on him already that allowed this to happen. A missing piece to Garuda's masterpiece, something he intercepted before it could reach your island."

"Father had all the pieces," Sanji said with a sigh. "All it needed was an insertion of a quantum stimulator to complete the act, and he had it. Unfortunately I wasn't there at that time to witness it."

Law wore a confused expression as he tried to remember that piece in the graphic novel. But he honestly couldn't conjure the proper panel that detailed all of Garuda's plans. Usually villains talked/thought themselves hoarse when revealing their intentions but this one was missing. It would make sense that not everything was detailed in the books he read.

_A cartoon_, he scoffed, remembering Shachi's words. What other cartoon educated its readers with quantum theories?

Which reminded him, the next subbed season available was to be revealed at the end of the week – Law wondered if he should show Sanji these things, looking at him from the corner of his eye. Would it tear something in the time space continuum if one of the actual characters could predict what would happen in his future once he returned home? Would all the 'cartoons' and graphic novels change suddenly with Law aware of it? It was too much power in his hands and he didn't know what to do with it.

Good thing he wasn't a villain himself. What could he gain from it?

He shivered suddenly, Sanji looking at him with a frown. "Are you cold?"

"No, just…thinking."

"Think out loud. I get suspicious that you're thinking badly of me when you keep these things to yourself."

"I always think badly of you," Law told him with a roll of his eyes, slouching his shoulders. Sanji scowled at him. "You're a villain fighting against my favorite hero. I'll always root for him."

"I knew it! All of this was a farce! You're working for him against me!"

"Calm down. Too many things have happened since you've arrived to dilute the suspicion of me having any misdeeds towards you. Why in the hell would I take care of you and your needs if I were conspiring against you?"

Sanji frowned out at the street while Law's words made sense to him.

He gave a shrug of a shoulder. "You don't strike me as a devious type, anyway," he muttered, Law glancing at him. "You're too slow and stupid. Apologizing to those idiots for my behaviors, and domesticating me through deliberate manipulation and distraction techniques similar to that of a maternal figure. It'd be different if you'd threatened my life."

"Thanks…I guess…"

"It wasn't a compliment! Plus," Sanji added with a snide glance in his direction, "there is nothing threatening about you. You scream out as a weak character. You're an artist over a warrior without any power level to you. I'd be embarrassed if you spoke up for me. You're the worst captor any one can have."

"I'm flattered that you think of me as an artist," Law chuckled, reaching up to ruffle his own hair with modest humility.

"What does it say about me that I _allow_ this to happen?" Sanji then muttered bitterly. "Be aware that I am using you as much as you're using me…"

"Trust me, that's not happening," Law said with a droll tone, turning to walk towards a nearby bench. "What in the hell would I use you for? I'm getting nothing from this. My home has been destroyed, my computer monitor is totaled, and I can't even brag about it because no one thinks as much about the _Sora_ series as I do. Every time I try and bring it up, people look at me funny because _Sora_ is just a 'cartoon'."

"Money and power from those that conspire against Germa."

"My bank account says otherwise."

"What is a bank account?"

Law sighed noisily, resting his hands atop of his knees. "It's where we normal humans keep our money."

"Like a safe?"

"A public safe."

Sanji looked confused and Law pictured the Vinsmoke riches being depicted as something hidden behind a below ground level vault accessed by a touch of Garuda's hand print.

"Why share your money with the public? Is this why you are poor?"

"You know, you keep mentioning that your father thinks you're a failure," Law then said. "In the books, you always want to prove that you're better than your brothers. Maybe this was his idea in the first place…? He used the distraction of Sora's appearance to get rid of you."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Sanji grumbled, taking a seat on the other end of the bench while Law glanced at him.

The air seemed to fill with awkward tension.

"But why take these deliberate measures to get rid of you?" Law mused thoughtfully, pulling on his goatee with thought. "If he created something that specifically removed you from your world, what did you know that he found dangerous…?"

He was surprised to see Sanji's face suddenly tense and shift with a sort of acknowledgement that told Law he _knew_ something. He turned to face him. "What do you know?"

"Nothing," Sanji said airily, avoiding Law's stare. "Nothing…important…"

"You know something! That explains it!"

"It doesn't make sense to remove me! He could have just killed me!"

"Then what is it? If you're here, you can't do any damage over there! So…what is it?"

Sanji stubbornly held his chin, still avoiding Law's pressing expression. Law lit up with excitement.

"It's about Sora, isn't it?" he asked. "You know something about him that's dangerous – "

"It was an accident!" Sanji snapped. He crossed his arms, puffing at his cigarette. "I didn't mean to find out."

Law waited for him to confess, but the younger man refused to divulge. "Why can't you tell me?"

"Because I don't trust you! I don't know if you're conspiring with him, I don't know if you're just behaving innocently to earn my trust – you could be just as associated with them, waiting for me to confess…"

Disappointed, Law knew he wouldn't get an answer. Someone screamed at Dave to stop peeing in the flowers, and he looked up in time to see a Great Dane squatting into a nearby flower bed, watching the pair of them with a happy look to his face. Once he was done, the dog sprinted towards them, causing him nervousness as the big dog crossed the distance with ease. He curled up on his side of the bench with a surprised yell as the dog barked noisily before pouncing on Sanji. The younger man greeted the dog, petting him with happy noises as the dog pushed up onto the bench with his front paws and licked around his head. The man that owned him shrieked his name with dismay, hurrying over.

"I'm so sorry! He's a hugger, I swear," he apologized, clipping his leash onto the dog's collar before yanking him back. The dog licked at Sanji's head and face before he bounded away, the owner stumbling after him with a shout. Law straightened himself on the bench before looking over at the younger man with suspicion. Sanji was still grinning, fixing his hair before noticing Law's suspicious stare.

He cleared his throat and adjusted his expression to fit a scowl.

"The modifications didn't work on you, did they?" Law asked with accusation.

Sanji didn't answer, finishing his cigarette before putting it out on the sidewalk and stepping on it.

"The theory about your father being behind this grows stronger," Law said with a sigh, wondering why this was a missing piece to the story. Admittedly _Germa 66 _was a traditional villain to Sora's mighty strength – a weak back story with grand intentions, delivered to show them as capable adversaries in an effort to make Sora stronger. But while the Vinsmoke siblings were minor characters depicted as strong opponents, not much was given in relation to their weight in Sora's mysterious origins. Only that Sora felt something of them – but given that this story was only about strength and power, it didn't make sense to add some empathy to elsewhere matters.

"You know something that your father couldn't trust to destroy in your own world…so what is he protecting?" Law murmured to himself. The theory that Sora was somehow related to the siblings felt stronger. "Is Garuda protecting himself or…?"

Sanji stubbornly remained silent.

Law recalled the siblings being locked up in prison during the current arc. He remembered Sora considering a deal with Sanji himself to separate him from his brothers. The siblings were drawn to depict fighting each other in their jail cell, with Sanji's siblings ganging up on him because they were convinced he would reveal certain information that the readers were not yet prepared for. Law recalled Sanji's thought bubble reading, 'If they only knew what I did - ! I can't say a thing! I have to use it if I want to get out of here, but how to do it in a way that avoids a mess with my own father…?'

Were the other siblings aware of what Sanji intended on revealing to Sora?

Law had to wait for the next chapter to find out, and he looked at his phone to search for any updates on upcoming spoilers.

"You said we were imprisoned," Sanji then said slowly, furrowing his brow. "That my siblings were trying to kill me for something I'd intended on revealing. With what you know of the situation, shouldn't you already know the answer, seer?"

"I don't," Law answered truthfully, lowering his phone.

"I wouldn't betray my family," Sanji then mumbled, but there was an air of uncertainty to it that revealed his empathy once more. There was more to his words that he had yet to say, and yet he held himself back. Law could see the struggle on his expression.

"If it meant saving someone," he ventured slowly, "what would you do with it?"

Sanji clamped his mouth shut as his eyes took in the sights before them. His chin was stubbornly set as Law felt frustration fill him. He rose from the bench.

"Then you have your answers," Law said. "You know why you're here. And for that…is something _you'll_ have to deal with. In the meantime, it's uncertain how long you'll remain in this dimension. What will you do?"

Sanji looked at him with a frown, then turned his attention away. He seemed to be caught in some sort of internal crisis, falling thoughtfully silent. Life continued on around them without pause and Law slipped his hands into his back pockets as he waited for the younger man to say something. He felt like he'd been given a glimpse of capability and power – perhaps he could manipulate this person towards Sora's favor, bring about peace that his hero needed.

The mysterious universe had given Law this chance to help Sora with something that threatened his life – shouldn't Law take advantage of it? Be a hero himself?

He felt overwhelmed with that thought but at the same time…maybe Sora could depend on him, ordinary Tumblr artist Trafalgar Law, customer service representative, awkward man-child, to make an impression on his hero. _Was it up to him to save Sora's future_?

Startled at the thought, Law froze. He looked at his phone once more, seeing more notifications about his artwork. He should have been thinking more clearly. He could delete his posts, but there were some out there that could have taken screenshots of his drawings and posted them elsewhere, where anyone could find them. Sanji was a recognizable minor character; Law was aware of his power as an artist, and anyone from the universe could see them and use it to track him down to find Sanji - !

He looked up at the sound of a squeaking wheel and caught sight of the homeless man from earlier venturing towards them.

"Jimmy!" he called out merrily, waving a beefy hand. "There you are!"

"I am not this Jimmy you speak of!" Sanji snapped back, rising to his feet as Law's eyes dropped to the man's cart with suspicion. It was too weird of a coincidence. That man had never crossed Law's path before, not until Sanji showed up. He looked to Sanji with caution, intending on warning him but the man only grinned brightly, showing off missing teeth.

Sanji approached him to toss the cart aside with impatience when the man seemed to change form – growing bigger and wider, with what looked like smoke billowing around him. Before Law could react, the man roared with laughter before two shadowy hands appeared and ensnared the younger man within them.

"I know your secret, Jimmy! I know you're from another world! I know of your power! And I want it! Nothing can stop me from taking it! Zeha haha haha!"

"_Swine_!" Sanji cursed, kicking uselessly as Law gaped with shock at the scene, overwhelmed by the display of power and action.

"I can use your powers for my own gain here in this world! Give it to me, Jimmy!"

He didn't recognize this character from the _Sora_ series, looking to the homeless man with horror. People were watching from a distance, unsure of what they were seeing. Dave barked noisily, yanking at his leash and having his owner cry out with dismay. Law stumbled away from the surge of power he could feel emanating from the man, which felt suffocating and thick, sizzling and crackling throughout the air.

Sanji looked to Law with an expression of betrayal. "Traitor!"

"I don't know this guy!" Law protested weakly, unsure of what to do. He could only stand there helplessly, having absolutely no power to interfere or even determine what was happening. "He's not a character in the series!"

"I am a character of my own series," the man chuckled, turning to look at him. "So you can reference me in the future, ya can call me Teach! I happen to be the strongest man in this universe! No one has been able to stop me from taking what I want!"

"_What are you_?" Law demanded, before moving swiftly to avoid being hit as one smoky hand left Sanji to swipe at him. He awkwardly hit the grass, stumbling over a tree root. He lost his glasses and his phone when he hit, rolling to face Teach once more. But Teach's attention had returned to Sanji, squeezing him tightly within both hands. Seeing the way the villain struggled caused compassion to rise within Law but he caught himself from reacting.

Sanji was a villain in the series – he actively fought against Sora. Teach wasn't a recognizable character, but wasn't he a hero if he sought Sanji out as an opponent?

If Law interfered, wouldn't he be someone assisting a villain?

The conundrum had him frozen in place, watching helplessly as that black energy seemed to surge around the blond, causing him physical distress. Teach laughed, a maniacal sound, and Law didn't know what to do. He was just an ordinary human – Sora was his hero. Sanji was a villain. Teach was…something different.

Then again, what if Teach was an upcoming villain using smaller ones to step on in his reach for Sora himself? Wouldn't Law still be assisting Sora if he could somehow stop _him_?

Determined, Law grit his teeth and rose to his feet. Teach was a huge man – maybe stretching seven feet tall. Law wasn't of any athletic prowess – he was an office worker, a lazy bum that had once protested throughout all his years of gym class. He wasn't certain he was capable of much.

Sanji released a pain-filled shout that he struggled to stifle and Law looked at him with horror once more. It was obvious that whatever Teach was doing was hurting him.

His conscience wrestled with him mightily before Law darted forward and jumped as high as he could to wrap his arms around Teach's neck. He hung from his back while Teach stumbled under his weight. Law then opened his mouth wide and bit the man's shoulder, causing Teach to scream out with pain.

But he dropped Sanji from his grasp and reached for him.

Sanji hit the sidewalk with an awkward noise, rattled by what happened. Teach grabbed hold of Law's arm and pulled outward to loosen his grasp. Once he had the space to do so, he ripped the man from his back and tossed him like a toy.

Law didn't _feel_ like a toy as he hit and bounced off the grass, pain flooding his senses once he settled. He felt like one would if they were hit by a car in a crosswalk – he was an ordinary human. It was okay to feel this way. He looked up to see Teach rubbing at his shoulder with a pained hiss while Sanji slowly climbed to his feet.

Teach wore a puzzled expression. He looked at his hands, like he'd expected something to be there. Sanji reached for his Raid Suit, panting with effort. He looked like he was barely hanging on, drained of energy and strength. Like that man had attempted to draw out his health, leaving behind a struggling skeleton. The intense difference had Law looking back at Teach with horror, trying to figure out what sort of person he truly was to have this weird ability.

Teach looked at Sanji with accusation, lowering his hands. "Where are your abilities?"

Sanji grit his teeth. "You didn't ask me before attempting to take them. Now I'll make you pay."

He opened the can to release his Raid Suit and transformed to Stealth Black within a span of seconds. But he was clearly struggling to hold himself up after, Law noticed. Teach realized this as well, lunging forward to grab him. Stealth Black disappeared from sight before Teach could touch him, and Law quickly darted out of the way to avoid becoming prey to any crossfire.

Teach's huge form snapped and cracked to one side to another as he was hit multiple times. He released grunts of pain and impact as he sought to hold himself aloft, swatting outward wildly. He managed one hit, Law seeing a flash of movement hit the grass north of him. A tree rattled noisily as Stealth Black slammed into it, but that was the only hint of his presence. He seemed to recover, the grass rustling as he disappeared once more. Seeing the interested crowd that had gathered, Law noticed that no one was frightened by the fight between two super humans. But he had enough information to formulate some understanding.

Teach had attempted to draw on Sanji's supposed alien strengths; he discovered the alien didn't possess them, which strengthened Law's suspicion that Garuda's modifications had not worked on Sanji. Therefore, Sanji relied on his Raid Suit for his abilities, which told Law that Sanji wasn't like his siblings. Which made sense for Garuda to reject him but also held possibility that Sanji was important to Sora because of this.

For Teach to know that Sanji was of Vinsmoke relation meant that he was aware of the _Sora_ series, but not fully aware of what Law already knew. So either Teach was a new villain yet to be introduced or was something else entirely.

Roaring with dissatisfaction, Teach waved his arms about wildly. His expression looked panicked for the superhuman abilities he was just using earlier, stepping back with timid action. He caught sight of Law and suddenly lunged for him. Startled at the speed and intention, Law froze like a deer caught in headlights. Before one beefy hand could touch him, Teach grunted with invisible impact, the top half of his body twisting violently before the rest of him could follow. He hit the grass and shredded it destructively. Onlookers scattered with gasps and sudden understanding that this wasn't an action film in progress.

Law heard a sharp intake of breath from his right, just before seeing impact on the grass as Stealth Black ran over it. Teach rolled in a panic away from the source of movement and was on his feet clumsily, panting. His head snapped back and he twisted upward before being kicked again, straight into some cars driving by. The sound of impact caused noisy attention from those that weren't aware of the situation, and Law hurried over, unsure of what to do.

He heard heavy panting coming from his left, a display of flattened grass as weight settled over it. He figured that Teach had done enough damage to weaken the villainous henchmen and tentatively moved in that direction. Teach had flattened one car, the driver and passenger stumbling out with confused expressions as the driver of another gaped at the visible body on his windshield.

"Sanji! Are you okay?" Law asked.

He heard a hiss, the painful indication of effort as the area where the grass had been flattened rustled lightly with the lift of movement.

"_Get away from me_!" Stealth Black hissed at him. "You lured me into a trap!"

"No, _I didn't_, I swear to God - ! I don't know who that guy is!" Law protested.

"I underestimated you!"

With that, Law heard nothing but the sound of light movement from his left. Teach was moving slowly, gaining awareness of his surroundings and Law looked at him with worry. Seeing that he was obviously rattled, Law took advantage of the moment to hasten back to the man's cart. He searched the grass for his phone and wallet, finding them both. His glasses were broken, so he left them.

But he glanced back to make sure he still had time – throwing aside the pile of blankets and clothing in the cart, Law looked for something that could help him identify who Teach was. Nestled in a shoebox was a newspaper clipping of the Vinsmoke siblings in mid-pose, outfitted in their combat suits. But the printing was strange – indicative of something else. It looked real – Law pocketed that clipping and what looked like a leather-bound book from underneath it before tossing the items back over the cart.

Seeing Teach stumble about as onlookers tried to placate him while others filmed him, Law then hurried off towards the back of the complex so he could reach his apartment safely.

Once there, he shut the door behind him, breathing heavily in the still silence left behind.

It felt strange that he was the only one there.

Yet he looked at the hole that had been temporarily covered up by building maintenance workers and figured Teach could put these things together. He could target Law now that he knew Law was aware of the Vinsmoke sibling. After what he'd seen, Teach was not a normal person – he was an alien, as well. Law was just an ordinary human, he couldn't do anything about that. Panic caused Law to push away from the door, to gather all the things he could use for the next few days. He stuffed a bag full of some things then hesitated on his way out the door.

He snatched up his Wacom pad and laptop, along with their chargers, and thrust them into another bag. Then he looked up at his shelves of prized figurines with some anxiety before deciding to abandon that. He left his apartment in a fitful panic, terrified of the world he'd been drawn into.


	6. Chapter 6

**: : 6**

Shachi looked over at his work colleague with apprehension. Usually Trafalgar Law was somewhat chatty – saying weird things and making odd references and baiting Bon Clay but today he was a little twitchy and obviously troubled. Answering mechanically while staring at the screen with sleep-starved eyes. Shachi was pretty sure he was wearing the same things as yesterday, too. Bon Clay had tried to rattle him a few times but the lack of spirit in Law's answers had been discouraging to the man. Shachi wanted to ask but…Law was not on the same plane as his. He thought about the offhand comment Law had made the day before about an alien that kept him up all night.

Snapping his gum, he pushed his mouthpiece up to asked Law, "You having more problems with your alien buddy?"

Law barely glanced at him, but his lips tightened as he jabbed at the backspace button a few times. His fingers seemed clumsy atop of the keyboard. Without his glasses, he was squinting at the screen with definite concentration.

"I think he's gone," he mumbled with a slight slur. His expression turned heavy. "I guess it was all my fault."

Shachi struggled to understand him. _Struggled_ to find something within him to answer politely and without any sarcasm or belief because he didn't want to encourage this weird behavior but he didn't want his colleague to think he didn't care, either.

"Maybe now you'll get some sleep," he offered lamely.

Law stopped typing. He stared at the computer screen with a tight frown before he swallowed. He nodded slowly. "…Maybe…"

Shachi couldn't understand why a grown man could be so expressively troubled with the things he was speaking. Didn't it sound strange to anyone else? He chewed his gum furiously, trying to come up with something else.

"So, uh…I talked to my roommate about the thing you were saying yesterday," he said slowly. "He got super excited, was asking me a _million_ questions about it – "

"Didn't you see the news last night?" Law interrupted him, facing him. Shachi had to wince at the state of his eyes. The undersides looked as big as the bags he saw Law trying to stuff into his work locker. Shachi snapped his gum repeatedly before answering.

"Why, did something else happen?"

Law stared at him in incredulous silence. "This is the second time these things were deliberately left out of the news. Like it hasn't happened. But two…aliens…? Were fighting each other on the street. In front of witnesses and there's _nothing_…absolutely no mention of it in the media. Like it was deliberately covered up."

Shachi snapped his gum noisily as he stared back at him, struggling not to show his rude expression. He pushed his glasses atop of his nose.

"What kind of aliens?" another one of their colleagues asked with interest, whispering to avoid Bon Clay's attention. "Predator? Or Xenomorph? …Thanos?"

Law looked embarrassed. He returned his attention to his computer and kept typing while their colleague looked to Shachi for an answer. Shachi shrugged.

"I'm serious," the man hissed. He blinked big eyes behind thin-rimmed glasses. He looked like a bear of a man crammed into a cheery sweater vest and t-shirt, with Apple watch over one thick wrist and what was left of his hair combed messily to the side. He was always snacking on something while slurping down on soda – he gave Shachi diabetes just looking at him. "C'mon, if something's being swept under the rug, I kinda want to know about it, too."

Shachi looked to Law, waiting for him to answer. Since it didn't look like he would, Shachi whispered back awkwardly, "I guess an alien from something called…_Sora_…?"

The man's big eyes turned bigger. "_Sora: Warrior of the Sea_?"

"…Yeah, you know of it?"

"Dude, I used to read that when I was a kid! What kinda alien, Trafalgar?"

Law glanced at him reluctantly before looking at Shachi. Shachi shrugged. After making sure Bon Clay was occupied at his desk with a compact mirror and lipstick, he whispered very quietly, "Stealth Black."

"It's been a long time since I read it, so refresh my memory…"

"_Germa 66_…one of the siblings."

"Oh man, I _hated_ those guys! They were such ass licking snobs!" the guy chuckled to himself as he pushed his headset up to add, "I couldn't stand their attitudes, and it was just a couple of pages! They were jerks! I never agreed with the theory that they were related to Sora in anyway…"

"I'm glad you guys have something in common," Shachi murmured from the side of his mouth, taping away at his keyboard once they were aware of Bon Clay moving in their direction.

Once he saw that they were steadily working hard, Bon Clay nodded with approval and drifted off to bark at someone else.

"Are they filming a live action movie?" the guy asked with interest. "I'd want to come out and watch."

Law answered with reluctance, "It wasn't a movie. He's real. He's here and I…lost him. He thinks I betrayed him."

He felt the heavy stares of two men that weren't sure what to say so he kept his attention devoted to his computer monitor.

"You said there was _two_ aliens?" the other guy then asked cautiously. "Like…who was the other guy?"

Law figured it was too late to pretend he hadn't said anything, now. He was too tired to care what he looked like and what he sounded like. He exhaled lightly. "He said his name was Teach."

"Never heard of him."

"I haven't either. But he…tried to suck Stealth Black's abilities away from him. And…he didn't have any."

"But Stealth Black is a Vinsmoke, and they were _made_ a certain way. How can he not have any abilities…?"

"It's his suit that gives him powers."

Shachi looked lost. On one of his screens, he began pulling up character information on these people just so he could at least know who they were talking about. The haughty prince that popped up on screen didn't look that impressive – but he couldn't feel any sort of attachments towards _cartoons_. The only thing that stood out for him was that his eyebrows curled in a different direction than his siblings'.

_Don't get sucked into this nonsense_, he told himself sternly.

"Then how'd he get here? Stealth Black? If he's real?"

"His father must have somehow done it. Stealth Black knows something and he won't say. But it pertains to Sora."

"So….this Teach beat him and he's…gone? Like, he returned to his world?" the other guy pressed. Shachi had to look at him. He never really paid attention to the other guy unless it was to make small talk, but either he was just as big a fan as Law or he was getting a secret kick out of the conversation. Probably to fuck with him because Law wasn't a popular person here in the office. Dude was so dorky it hurt.

"He was angry at me. He thought I set it up," Law answered lightly. Shachi glanced at him. Either this man just didn't care anymore, or he was just bullshitting to fuck with that guy, too, in the same manner he baited Bon Clay. Shachi didn't know him that well enough to tell when Law was being sarcastic. "I didn't. I only noticed that Teach was suspicious before he struck out. But Stealth Black is alone in this world, and he hid – he was hurt but I don't know how bad. I thought I could go find him but if he's angry at me…I don't think he'll let me help him."

"I'll help you," the other guy assured him, nodding with determination. "We can do it after work. I have _plenty_ of free time!"

Law finally looked at him, and Shachi thought that the older man was finally taking note of the conversation. He looked at the other man like he'd just noticed he was there. The other guy fumbled with his lanyard to show off his work ID.

"Just call me Bepo. It's easier for all of us," he said assuredly, looking cheerful. Shachi snapped his gum noisily, thinking that the balding, chubby and absurdly tall man looked a little 'off' to him. Maybe it was for the best that he and Law got along. Law looked like he needed some friends.

Bepo then looked to Shachi, wearing an excited expression that made his cheeks rosey. "Tell your roommate to tag along with us! If this alien is invisible, we're going to need a little extra help looking for him. It would help if everyone knew what we're looking for."

Shachi answered with a flat, "_No_. You freaking weirdo…"

Bepo looked back at his computer like he'd been struck. "Sorry…"

Law glanced at both of them, determining the shift in tension. But he ended up asking Shachi, "_Please_. He might be useful in this mess."

Shachi looked at him while Bepo looked over hopefully. Shachi wore an expression of distaste, but he was a little interested in seeing how far this craziness could go. He snapped his gum noisily before giving a reluctant nod. "Sure, I'll text him."

At the end of the day, Shachi popped in a new stick of gum to chew while everyone introduced themselves. He was so embarrassed to be caught in this position. All of them talked over each other with nerd-speak, visibly excited about their subject. He crossed his arms self-consciously over his chest while his roommate looked absolutely delighted to help one weirdo find another weirdo. To make things even worse, Penguin wore one of his favorite _Sora_ shirts while Bepo towered over all of them with his chubby hands clapping together with glee.

Shachi shoved his glasses up higher upon his nose as Penguin discussed his plan.

"I have the _perfect_ weapon to help us attract this alien," he said with confidence, phone out. "The Vinsmokes love their pretty ladies – if I have one of my friends pace back and forth in that area, I'm sure she'll attract him from wherever he's hiding and you can talk some sense into him."

"He does react to pretty women," Law murmured thoughtfully. "But I wouldn't want anyone else getting hurt or drawn into this mess."

He pulled up his shirt, displaying a torrid display of bruises along his side that had three jaws dropping. "I was thrown last night, and I had no idea a human body could bounce on grass. Guess what? It can."

"Did you break anything?" Bepo cried with agitation when Penguin looked absolutely horrified.

"'_Thrown'_?" he repeated uneasily.

"Teach and S…Stealth Black have superhuman abilities that allow them to treat us like toys," Law grumbled while Shachi resumed chewing nervously on his gum. "They can bend metal and jump several feet and…they're basically impervious. Whatever Teach did to Stealth Black, it weakened him. He couldn't have gone far. I thought to check with my neighbors but…due the circumstances involved, he might not even attempt to do that. He was pretty angry with me…"

"Why are you believing in this?" Shachi interrupted Penguin noisily, hands up for emphasis. "_Dude_! This sounds like a bunch of crazy!"

Penguin rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms. "This guy is a huge skeptic. Doesn't even bother with these things. I'm surprised he remained here for as long as he has…anyway, forget it. My reasons for being here are pure selfishness. You said nothing was mentioned on the media about the fight?"

Penguin flicked through his phone and turned it around to show them. It was a grainy snap shot of Stealth Black's cape visible in the darkness – Law recognized it as the night he was chasing him on the street, when they first met Teach. He looked at Penguin hopefully, but the man was admiring the pic with a renewed sense of excitement.

"I thought it was just some cosplayer on drugs running around, but if you're saying that it's actually _him_ \- !" he squealed with such excitement that Shachi's mouth opened, dropping his gum.

"It is," Law insisted, looking grateful. "That was the first night I met him. He was…that's where we met Teach! He was just a homeless man, and…but he must've recognized Stealth Black right off, and hung around the area just to track us down. He ran into me at my apartment and stuck around there until we both came out. He…calls us Jimmy and Paul…"

"Jimmy and Paul are the first names of the voice actors for _Germa 66_," Penguin pointed out, Law blinking with realization. "They do all the male voices for that family! Jimmy is the one that does Stealth Black's voice on the animated series! But to call you Paul…well, I don't get that connection…"

"Are you saying that perhaps Teach is a big fan of _Sora_, as well?" Law asked tentatively.

"I don't know. If he's got powers, then what kind of guy is he?" Penguin mused. "Look, let me text my friend, see if she's game. She doesn't mind fan speak."

"First, let us attempt to track him down before inserting more characters into this story," Law then suggested clumsily. He rubbed his chin with consideration. "I thought of looking near the pier because in the few times he was shown on his own, he was often brooding over the sight of the sea. And he mentioned wanting to see the stars, and you can kind of see them from there."

"Great idea! After that, considering his character, we might as well as check the local police precincts to see if they'd picked him up. Those Vinsmokes are infamous for public tantrums," Penguin then suggested as Bepo volunteered the use of his car for this adventure. Shachi trailed along after them as the trio spoke amongst themselves with excited voices.

_Am I going to regret this_? he thought with dread. _I hope no one I know sees me hanging out with these guys_…

The pier Law spoke off was at the north end of the city, which overlooked a dirty bay. It was mainly used by fishermen and tourist companies to take a better view out at the waters for whale watching. There were a few seafood restaurants there, so the area was thick with the scent of the sea and uncomfortably cold. Sea lions barked from certain rocky points and seagulls fluttered about. But the four of them walked the length of the area, chatting amongst themselves with light topics and easy going subjects. Shachi hung back with a cringe, hands stuffed into his pockets.

He looked up when he heard Law say with relief, "There he is! Stay here. I don't know what his mood is like…"

Shachi joined the other two as Law hurried clumsily towards a man sitting on a bench facing the water, wearing what looked like ghastly clothes. He hoped this joke would end soon, scanning the faces of weary fishermen and foreigners taking pictures of the sea lions lounging lazily nearby. He yawned as Bepo and Penguin watched with eagerness, craning their necks to see Law approach the blond man that looked up at his approach.

"I told you to stay away from me!" Sanji hissed at Law, who paused some feet away from him. He rose from the bench, fists clenched, scanning the groups of people that passed by without a second glance in his direction.

"I told you, I had nothing to do with that guy," Law insisted. Sanji looked exhausted, but seemed to be recovering fine. The cold didn't seem to be affecting him in that outfit like it was with him. He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "He came out of nowhere, and he's not a character associated with _Sora_. I found something in his cart that he was carrying. A newspaper article of you guys, and a book. I don't understand the language, it's nothing like it would be from here."

"I don't trust you," Sanji snapped at him, hand slipping to rest behind him as he continued to scan the area warily. "You know too much. For a simpleton, you are surprisingly devious. You are a spy for him, for Sora – that man was nothing more than an agent sent to finish the job."

"If you'll think about it, stupid, that man was trying to take your powers from you," Law insisted. "But you didn't have any for him to take. He was genuinely surprised about that. What he knows of you is basics – he knows you guys were modified, but he doesn't know the real you. Sora does. You think he'd send someone that basic for someone like you? He didn't even know how to fight you."

Sanji gave him a stubborn look. "I _know_. But he knew exactly how to find me."

"What did you expect, moron? You went around the area throwing your powers around and beating up on normal humans – anyone can find you if they were that determined to do so! You gave away your own location!"

"Then how did _you_ find me? Did you put something on me to track me down?"

"It was only a couple of panels, but you like to brood staring at the sea and you mentioned not being able to see the stars from the other night. I only went from there to find you."

Sanji frowned. He looked like he hadn't slept, Law noticed. On edge and wary, watching everyone that passed by. In that moment, Law glanced out and saw that while the city's lights were glittering over the surface of the water, the brightest stars were only slightly visible against the light pollution.

"I'm not safe either," Law then insisted. "He was looking for us. I ran into him on my way home from work that night, and I'd never seen him before. He's not part of the series, so I'm not sure who he is. He can figure it out from there if I return to the apartment with the damage that you caused on the way in. He's going to associate me being with you."

Looking at him with a distrustful expression, Sanji rubbed at his left shoulder. He looked back at the people that were wandering about, expressing themselves cheerfully while they ignored the pair of them. No one looked at him twice – none of them stood out. Absolutely no one presented themselves as a threat to him, but Teach had been a surprise as well. The man had blown up into a threat within seconds and presented himself as an opponent before Sanji could react.

This world had been sneaky, and he felt unbalanced and uncertain. He'd dismissed everyone around him, and now he was paying for it. He couldn't allow himself to lower his guard any further than he had.

He noticed Law pulling out a leather-bound book from the bag hanging at his side, waving it to catch Sanji's attention. Once he had it, Law tossed it to him. Sanji caught it, then looked at it with some confusion. Opening it, he saw notes written about his family – listing their abilities, certain nuances, individual quirks. The newspaper clipping was taken from one of the papers that his father normally ordered, which told Sanji that whoever Teach was, he was either from his world as some sort of sleeper agent or just a rogue superhuman like the rest of them. He glanced at Law warily.

"I don't know what any of that stuff was, but I found it," Law insisted. "That handwriting is the same written in the comics so I can't translate shit."

"Someone targeted my family," Sanji mumbled, flipping through the pages. He noticed that while he was given individual study, nothing was revealed of his lack of abilities like his siblings. He felt uncomfortable, glancing around himself apprehensively. But no one was watching them, save for three men that hadn't looked away once.

Law noticed where he was looking and added, "Those are my friends."

Sanji looked at him with accusation. "You said you didn't have any."

"They're…work colleagues. Two of them, at least. But they know _Sora_ as well. Almost as much as I do. The series, not…the actual person. None of us do. We're just…big fans." As an afterthought, Law added, "We're just trying to help."

Giving him a cross look, Sanji asked, "Why would you help a _villain_? Obviously, I'm not your hero…"

"Considering this man's abilities, he was trying to take your powers. You can't say that he doesn't have any. He must be strengthening himself up in order to confront Sora or…" Law trailed off, realizing what he was saying. He looked at Sanji with the sort of guilty expression that told the villainous henchmen that Law wasn't helping Sanji – he was assisting with Sora in a way that disregarded Sanji. It felt rude and cruel, but he couldn't take it back, now. "I…"

Sanji snapped the book closed as Law trailed off awkwardly. He was alone in this world, with no one to trust. Someone was trying to kill him, and he was pretty sure that it was because of the secret he kept. He wasn't sure why he was here but it felt pretty obvious by now his father wanted to be rid of him. He'd always suspected Garuda had been waiting for a chance to do so.

"Leave me alone," he then mumbled, turning away from him.

Law watched him walk away, still carrying the book in hand. He felt helpless. He looked back at the others, then watched Sanji disappear into the crowd. He sighed low, feeling disappointed that this was not going well.

He returned to the others and briefly explained the situation.

"Well, it makes sense," Penguin said reluctantly, shivering while Shachi continued to snap his gum and remain skeptic. "I mean, put yourself in his place. _Who_ can you trust?"

"Well, I suppose but…only he understood what was in that book. I think the thing we need to do is track down Teach to see what he's a part of," Law decided. "That should be my job alone because only I can identify him."

"I'll go home and look through _everything_ to see if there was a mention of this Teach guy," Penguin decided with determination.

"I can scan through police activity to see if there was any mention of the activities you guys described," Bepo said with a nod. "Plus, find out why it was covered up. It causes me concern that _that's_ the only picture you have of him despite all the things Law has mentioned of Stealth Black."

"Right? Even when you input his name into any type of search history, all that comes up is his Wikipedia file," Penguin added. "There is something happening beyond our scope of vision. Perhaps someone else knows Stealth Black is here, and is protecting the public from seeing it. Something nefarious. The Marines working with Sora in the comics are determined to put down criminals and monitor criminal behavior so perhaps there is someone here who is doing the same thing, knowing he is here. Maybe, just _maybe_, they set this up themselves. Take out the siblings one by one because they're more vulnerable that way. And Sora can't or won't do it, so they sent someone else to do it. The Marines could be just as sneaky as the criminals they police."

Law felt frozen because this was too much information. This was growing out of control. _What was happening_?

He looked back towards the direction Sanji had taken with worry. Then he glanced around himself once more. "I'll find a hotel around here, stick somewhere close to him. I don't want to go back home because of what happened. I know I don't matter to him in the way of things, but…I think it's safe to say I'm the only friend he has around here."

Shachi pushed a fresh stick of gum into his mouth. "So, let me get this straight. _That_ guy is some type of villain character. _Sora_ is the hero, the main character. So why are you trying to put effort into protecting Sora's opponent? So Sora can properly kick his ass later? I mean, I don't get why you have sympathy for someone that's a _bad guy_."

Bepo and Penguin looked at Law for an answer, and Law felt uncomfortable with the attention. He examined his ratty shoes while he mumbled, "Sora has a mysterious connection with the Vinsmoke siblings. It hasn't been disclosed, yet."

"So, this is just to kiss Sora's ass?" Shachi clarified. "Or are you just helping him out like, assisting a villain to carry on his agenda in defeating the hero later? Which side are you really on?"

Having to face this problem once more still made Law feel as awkward as before.

"It's rumored that those kids belong to Sora somehow," Penguin interjected. "He's trying to protect him _for_ Sora."

"But didn't Sora send him here?" Shachi asked with confusion.

"His father, Garuda, did."

Shachi looked perplexed while Penguin looked exasperated. "_God_, I'll explain it later!"

"You're so lucky," Penguin then whispered enviously to Law. "This happened to you! It could've happened to anyone else in the world, but it happened to _you_! This universe looked down at you and smiled so don't take anything the wrong way."

Law frowned at him while Bepo looked just as enthusiastic as Penguin. Shachi blew some bubbles with his gum, looking unconvinced.

"But why me?" Law asked vaguely. "Out of everyone here in this universe, why was I blessed?"

"_Cursed_," Shachi amended as they headed back towards Bepo's car. "This is more of a curse than a blessing."

_Was it_? Law had to wonder.

* * *

Naghi-Tan: lol yes! i finally decided on a plot! XD


	7. Chapter 7

**: :** **7**

Once settled in the hotel room, Law opened up his laptop. He logged onto his Tumblr account and looked at the last attachment he'd loaded. The comic strip of Sanji exploring the thrift and grocery store had over a thousand notes already, and there were messages waiting for him in his Inbox. But he felt bad for the humorous strip that was basically a mockery of Sanji's spoiled attitude. It was a lurking feeling in the gut that made him shift uncomfortably as he realized that the world would only know this character as a joke; someone to make fun of, someone no one could feel empathy for.

Law remembered how Dave jumped all over him, licking him happily while Sanji appreciated the attention. Animals have an innate sense of determining character, and apparently, the villainous henchman's was a good one despite who he represented. He charged up his Wacom pad, determined to capture that one scene. He felt that returning question of whose side he fell on.

Was this the sort of thing Sora actually encountered whenever he fought the Vinsmoke family? And what was his attachment to them? Did he see what Law had? Were the other siblings like this? Represented only by their character was supposed to be?

He looked over the empty space in his room, uncomfortable with the still silence around him. Sanji hadn't stayed with him for very long, but he sure took up a lot of space and attention. Law had to admit that he missed that activity. He regretted speaking what he had but it was the truth – his motives had been spurred to reflect positively to Sora.

But was Law doing the _right_ thing? Perhaps in this universe, Sanji wasn't a villain at all. His father must have been behind the whole sent through space and time thing to get rid of whatever Sanji knew. And it felt uncomfortable for Law to acknowledge how alone the younger man must feel right now. Law couldn't imagine feeling that way because he wasn't attached to many because that was his choice. _And_ he wasn't encountering life or death situations.

He set aside his laptop and stared at the television set. He could hear others moving around in their rooms, his stomach gurgling noisily to remind him he hadn't eaten anything in awhile. He wondered if Sanji had. He figured the man must have, lingering in a crowded area with multiple seafood restaurants. He thought that Sanji could use his Raid Suit to sneak around and steal food and while it didn't make Law feel any better, it gave him some assurance that this man was capable of taking care of himself.

But he thought about what _he_ was doing.

_I have developed empathy for someone_, he told himself. _And it is all right to feel that way. Truly, only I have seen this side of him. Plus, in this world, he hasn't caused _too_ much harm… _

Law acknowledged that Sanji had saved him from Teach. He recalled that moment of terror when the man reached for him, intending on using him against Stealth Black, but Sanji had saved him. Any other villain would have just allowed the weak to fall and disregarded the rest, but Sanji _saved_ him. Did that make him a villain at all?

Sighing noisily, Law rose up from the bed and pulled out his hoodie from his stuffed bag. Then he grabbed his wallet and hotel keys and headed out.

It took some patience and an uncomfortably long walk in the cold but he found the man sitting near the sea lions. Still unguarded against the cold and still with that expression on his face. Law noticed that everything was closed down for the night as he approached, but there were some people lingering in the area. He made sure to step noisily to let Sanji know he was approaching, and the man looked back at him cautiously, rising with uneasy action with a hand behind his back. Once Sanji saw that it was him, he gave an expression of disgust.

Hands up with surrender, Law said, "I think you should trust me."

"I cannot," Sanji insisted bitterly, looking beyond Law for any sign of others. "I've had much time to consider my situation. Sora sent you to target me and monitor my actions. You send him messages through that tablet thing of yours…"

"Honestly, we don't talk," Law insisted, venturing closer. He sat on the bench because his feet ached. He stretched out his legs with a heavy sigh. "You are the only alien from out of space that I talk to."

"I am _no_ alien," Sanji muttered. "This world, is. All of you scumbags are worthless pieces of shit that aren't worth much consideration, but I must still regard the lot of you as a threat. That's why I was sent here. To let my guard down."

"We still don't know why for sure," Law said tiredly. "Teach is the only person here that is…weird. His involvement is weird. If he was sent here as well, it had to be by the same person from your world. There's a lot of things here that I don't understand. Maybe if we share some ideas, we can figure it out."

"_I_," Sanji insisted. "_I_ will figure it out. I will have no more involvement with you."

"I am the only one here in this universe that you have to trust that is on your side," Law asserted firmly. "Even if Sora suddenly shows up…it'll be to retrieve you. In the comics, he is often conflicted with what he has to do to you guys. He has some compassion. Weird, unexplained compassion that even none of us fans are fully understanding of."

"Those future books you speak about," Sanji grumbled. "They mean nothing to me if they haven't happened, yet."

"But it has, and I already proved it. You guys lost this battle, and you will lose the next. No one knows yet what will happen to you. Perhaps…maybe this is it. You…to protect you, maybe Sora found a way to use this banishment and yet your father sent Teach otherwise."

Sanji scowled at him. But his hand eventually left his back. Law watched him cautiously, noting that the man looked exhausted.

"I got a room at a hotel," he offered. "Come use it. I left the apartment because I don't want that guy tracking me down over there. I'm sure he's watching it, waiting for us to come back."

"I will not go with you."

"Then I'll stay here," Law decided, shivering. "Because I don't think you should be left alone."

"You mean to give away my location!"

"Honestly, Sanji…didn't my reaction to you the first night say anything? I was just as surprised as you, and I'm _still_ surprised. This is…unusual. I…am not – you can read people, right? Can't you see what sort of person I am? I get winded walking up the stairs, I'm not a damn assassin. I'm…a loser," Law ended with a roll of his eyes.

Sanji agreed and Law wasn't sure how to accept that from another person. So he wore a light scowl. "Well…so am I, apparently," Sanji then mumbled awkwardly.

"Then shouldn't losers stick together?"

"_No_. It is like I am willingly shackling myself for you upon agreeing to that! Here I am, take me, I am ready for you to do what you wish of me," Sanji then said with disgust.

Law stared at him awkwardly, flashes of unnecessary doujinshi scenes crossing over his vision. He ended up blushing with the detail of the sights. _This is no time for perverted thoughts_! he scolded himself. He damned his easily susceptible fanboy instincts while Sanji gave him a puzzled look, unsure of how to interpret Law's expression.

"Does that idea please you?" he asked suspiciously.

Law struggled to return his mind to here and now, covering his mouth and nose briefly to calm his expression. He shifted on the bench, hands itching to sketch what he saw. He entwined his own fingers together, elbows on knees while he spoke awkwardly.

"Wouldn't it make more sense to keep your enemies close?" he then asked. "You can also monitor me for any suspicious behavior and…might I offer that if I am an agent of…good…? That you may use me in return. Perhaps as a bargaining chip for your freedom or escape."

Sanji tilted his head with consideration. "Are you of any value?"

Law found it difficult to answer that because he was quite certain he wasn't of any at all. But he saw the way Sanji grasped at this concept. Law hoped it wouldn't hurt either of them in the end.

"Maybe," he said slowly. "If it comes down to it, I'm as much a hostage to you as you are to me."

"So I _am_ a hostage!"

"If I can't convince you otherwise, then go ahead and think that because I'm too tired and too new at this to think of anything else," Law snapped impatiently at him. "I'm not a fucking…conspirative person, I draw fan _art_ for shit's sake, I tremble at the thought of answering my own damn cellphone and it terrifies me to think of speaking out loud in public. I'm an ordinary human being whose weapon is a stylus. Honestly, Sanji, in the grand scheme of things – what makes you certain that I stand with confidence amongst people like you?"

Sanji frowned, considering his words. Law waited for his judgment, fiddling with his tattooed fingers.

"Well," Sanji then conceded with a reluctant expression, "your voice did crack while seeking service in the treasure store. And you grew intimidated when a woman addressed you…and you don't have any muscle definition to speak of, and – "

"I am not your enemy," Law insisted, "but…if it comes to be that your character is judged, I'll definitely put in a good word for you."

Sanji scowled. But he ended up sitting down on the other end of the bench, hands clasping his knees. Law shivered, hoping he came to a decision fast, crossing his ankles together while shoving his cold hands into his jeans pockets. Even if the man wasn't modified like his siblings, Sanji still seemed of superhuman ability to withstand the elements because he showed no reaction to the severe chill in the air.

"Teach isn't a character in the series," Law then insisted. "And it's suspicious that none of your actions were reported regularly in the media. There is only one picture of you out there, and that caused us reasonable suspicion that Teach isn't the only one aware that you are here. There is someone else out there monitoring you, Sanji, so doesn't that make you feel like there's a bigger situation than this?"

Sanji frowned at him. "My father has access to media and other technology where I'm from. He always had a way of manipulating it so that we weren't….and the Marines, they show only what's favorable for Sora. Considering the angles, I would suspect that the Marines had a hand in this as well. Not only to hide the fact that I am here but to make sure my father doesn't find me."

"_Or_, he knows you're already here and _he's_ behind that mess. I still stand by the theory that _he_ was the one to send Teach."

"The book you gave me," Sanji pulled it out from his inside jacket pocket to produce it, "are the notes of an enemy that had been spying upon me and my family. It's true – the quirks as described of each of us comes from observant action but not _inter_action. I have spent time considering it – if your books had produced only surface aspects of Germa 66, then these written words only detail what was spoken in those books. This isn't our language – it is a…mimicry of our runes."

Law furrowed his brow. "That newspaper clipping…?"

"It has the imprint of what looks like an address on the back." Sanji gave it to him, and after some closer inspection, Law realized that this wasn't an actual newspaper clipping. It was an altered clip of a panel from the graphic novels. He looked at the back and saw the faint imprint Sanji described.

"Then he's from here," he mumbled thoughtfully, surprised. "Maybe just a similarly obsessed fan taking things too far."

"It does not explain his abilities."

_It doesn't_, Law agreed quietly, thinking about that chaotic scene. Were there other superhumans living amongst them like Teach? Penguin's observant detail about Teach addressing them as the voice actors that were paid to perform the role made some sense.

"Unless he was modified as well," Sanji then ventured with some uncertainty. "But that would suggest involvement from a plane unlike here."

_Was he mentally ill before or after_? Law wondered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"_But_," Sanji added, "for him to know who we are, to be…modified in the way that he was, suggests that another had a hand in it. The Marines are very straightforward and don't fight fire with fire, so I cannot assume that he is one of their agents. He knows of the Vinsmoke modifications and is very familiar with us, expecting to take my abilities from me with the power that he has. Which gives weight to your theory that my father…sent me here for…reasons I'll keep to myself…"

"But this world," he added carefully, "is very advanced in terms of comparable technology. Something my father would be interested in. I have come to the conclusion that I was sent here to scout this world for him."

Law sighed heavily as he realized where this was going.

"The agent was sent here after me to destroy me, but I will rid of him and take in more information of this world to return to my father in order to gain back his approval and trust," Sanji then concluded with confidence, looking more upbeat than he did earlier. He looked over at Law with determination. "_You_ will remain as my hostage, for you are an agent that was to speak of my every move, so if you could inform him of this – "

"_I am not a secret agent_, you whackadoodle!"

"Let my father know that when I return, I will have more than enough information of this world to share with him! Then, when he arrives, he can conquer it and he won't think any more of my weaknesses!"

Law worked his jaw from side to side with exasperation while Sanji slapped a knee and rose from the bench with a pep in his step.

"Take me to your room! I require rest in order to function at my full capacities," Sanji then ordered. "I have much to do, and I will make you guide me through the things my father will consider interesting. Starting with this technology."

"As your…hostage," Law said slowly, rising from the bench with light relief, "please do consider that I am capable of betraying you. I could lead you in the direction you want, but misguide you so that you may look a fool in your father's eyes for the misinformation that you may give him because of my corruption in those matters."

Sanji stared up at him, and Law had to consider the expression as similar to that of the recent Pikachu meme. He tried not to react humorously to that face but he had to cough.

"You're an alien in my world," Law stressed with some uncertainty, "and you only have me to rely on. You are aware that there are people in the shadows that are already trying to hide you from the public eye, which suggests Marine involvement. You make another scene like you had from the other night, and you will be overwhelmed, therefore, interrupting your plans to gain your father's confidence once more. Any odd situations caused to the public by an alien lifeform will draw Marine attention and you have no idea what they're capable of here. They know your weaknesses and will exploit it.

"So for you to threaten me," Law used his height in an effort to put some intimidation into his words, "is abusing your candid freedom as you have it. So you might want to ruminate over treating me nicely for your own consideration."

Sanji stared up at him with shock. "You…_fiend_…! How do I know you're not a Marine?"

"…Lack of muscle definition? Fighting ability? Aren't all Marines trained to fight and engage and not run away and _die_ from a simple toss?"

"…Oh…" Confused, Sanji looked down to consider his other options. "But you're persistent!"

"Of course I am! In order to target you and retain you for containment, I must know where you are at all costs and protect the public from you. But also," Law added, grabbing his arm once he made to turn away, "in order to understand where I'm coming from, it would make more sense to keep me close so that you know what I'm doing."

Sanji jerked his arm out of his grasp. He gave his head a disgusted shake, hands on his hips while Law shivered violently within this cold chill that blasted them from off the water's surface.

"And they call _me_ a villain," Sanji muttered bitterly, crossing his arms over his chest. "When their agent is as treacherous as they come."

Law wondered if he had taken this too far. But it looked like he won the battle as Sanji gave a grim nod.

"Okay, fine, I accept your conditions," he decided. "It makes more sense sticking with you and using _you_ as a bargaining chip when the time comes. I'm sure the Marines think very highly of you as a…well, they obviously only use your devious brain for things, and not for any physical aspects."

"You'll have to understand that my…fellow _agents_," Law then suggested, thinking of the ragtag group he'd found affiliation with, "are in the same quandary as I am. You'll treat them as respectfully as you treat me. I am their…captain…"

Sanji looked at him with narrowed eyes. But he gave a grim nod.

_Sorry, guys_, Law apologized, hoping they somehow heard his telepathic plea.

: :

He spent most of the night sketching out his ideas while Sanji snored noisily from the single bed. Law was eager to continue documenting this strange adventure with his drawings, but he was more reluctant to post them, now. He had to consider that Teach was somehow a Tumblr user himself – spying upon them by somehow identifying Law as the artist posting these modern AU drawings.

He looked over at the prince sleeping on the bed and felt an unwilling "ba-dump" at the sight of him. He scribbled over the face he'd just completed and scowled off to the side.

_These feelings are so _weird, he thought. _I am only feeling these things because he is a basic celebrity in my world. _Of course_ I'd feel weird affection for the little things that he does. It's like looking at a cute animal, or something._

Law felt better thinking that way. He erased the scribbles he'd just finished so that he could examine his drawing with a critical eye. Sanji had referred to his art as "fairy-like". Law had to admit that his style was light and pretty, but he'd toned down his red noses. He gave Sanji a bit more manliness to his features and added some weight to his pouts. The more he reflected on his changing style, the more he realized how reflective his feelings seemed to be with his art subject.

He tried not to think about it like that because that was just…_admiration_. Overly obsessive fan admiration.

He spent some time coloring and shading the picture then saved it. He had to fight the temptation to post it because he wanted the world to see this side of a villainous minor character.

He had to think about that. _Why_ did he want to show the world this vulnerable side of Stealth Black? To prove he wasn't the character that he was supposed to be? Or to brag that he was lucky enough to meet him?

And this current picture – wasn't it too gay? He had no problems posting that sort of detail but…it confused his own feelings as well. He looked over the sleeping prince on his art pad and on the bed. It felt too intimate to share this picture. He put it away in a folder, deciding against it.

Tapping the stylus against his jaw, Law considered his confusing thoughts. He then opened up his Tumblr account once more and looked over the number of reblogs, notes and messages. All of them were in favor of the posts – he liked looking over the hash tags, the similar expressions of moe for the flighty actions of a demanding villainous prince.

It was hard thinking of Sanji as _villainous_ when a dog found him a suitable human to greet with slobbery kisses and excited whines. Equally as difficult to accept with Sanji laughing and petting him with as much effort as the dog had given him. The image brought a light smile to Law's face, and he opened up a new document on his pad to draw that, too. He ended up posting that one because it didn't seem that personal.

A cheery _ding_! caught his attention minutes later, and he glanced over to see the Anonymous message posted to his Inbox. The thumbnail profile pic depicted a sunny faced blond woman with anime style cooking emojis flying around her. A quick scan of her page showed Law reblogs of _Sora_ adventure clips, quotes and a single Vinsmoke meme of their transformation styles. A casual fan, it seemed, more interested in Sora than the actual _Germa 66_ group.

'He seems like he is having so much fun!' the message read. 'Thank you for your depictions, they bring me joy and happiness!'

Something about it held Law's attention. He set the stylus aside and deliberated over an answer. He answered, 'They are only figments of my imagination that I thought were fun and simple to share.'

'Your imagination is quite lively – capturing even that little crook of the left eyebrow he does whenever he has his mind set on something!'

Law gaped at the message, heart thundering noisily. _This was only a coincidence_, he thought. _Just one fan appreciating another fan's work – all of us tend to overthink simple things and quirks that are common of fictional characters. This means nothing more than that_…

'I just love seeing his happy face! Keep it up! I hope he continues to have fun exploring his new world!' the next message encouraged Law.

His new paranoia seemed to shrill as he looked over the messages. He looked over his art once more, knowing he captured Sanji's expressions as the blond made them. He had willingly drawn these things as they happened and inserted them into his array as a modern AU that was meant to be light and cheery; nothing more than that. But with how weird things were, lately, he felt like this message – whoever sent it – spoke _directly_ to Law, knowing exactly what was happening. Whoever it was…could they track him down personally, knowing Sanji was with him?

He then looked with alarm at the digital clock on the nightstand, and scrambled to save his work and put everything away into the bag.

Another night without sleep!

He shook the man's shoulder to wake him after a frantic shower and dressing in wrinkled clothing. Sanji snorted and slurped, looking at him clumsily as Law adjusted his jacket and found his work lanyard.

"I've got to go to work," Law said hastily as he struggled to put on his socks and shoes, nearly knocking over the nightstand in his clumsiness. Sanji looked at him blearily, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. "So stay here. There's the remote, figure it out. Don't scream for servants, don't bother anybody in those halls, they will report you and the Marines will hear of it and they will attack you. Keep to your damn self! I will send Uber Eats to deliver you food, so don't bother leaving until I come back. Is this clear?"

"Who the hell are you to order me around like this?" Sanji complained on a half whine. "I can take care of myself!"

Then Sanji blinked at him. "Ugh, what's wrong with your face? Did you not sleep at all?"

He looked over Law's shoulder as the taller man crashed against the nightstand again, knocking things over to the floor. "Did you spend the entire night transmitting messages to my father and the Marines? Why not just do that at your _real_ work place? In fact - !"

"I don't have time for this! Bon Clay is going to have my ass, and I don't _want_ him on my ass! Just abide to my commands, Sanji! Also, for fuck's sake, brush your damn teeth. There's a set in the bathroom – for the love of baby Jesus, don't smoke in here, either. Go outside!" Law snatched up his work bag while Sanji looked after him blearily, still trying to wake up enough to absorb this crash of information. Opening the door, Law warned him again, "Stay here! I'll have your food delivered by 1030, and send another by 130. If I need to call you, answer that damn phone right over there. Keep that television volume on low, do NOT order any porn, and don't you _dare_ think of leaving this room until I come back. Stay low, avoid being seen and don't talk to anybody unnecessary. Understand?"

"What am I, a child?" Sanji muttered, yawning. "I'm going back to sleep. I have no interest to leave just yet."

Law hoped that no trouble would come of this, but he didn't have time to continue worrying about it. He shut the door and hurried off, hoping to find either a bus or taxi to make it to work on time.

Bon Clay slithered up to him as he stumbled in, feeling every minute of his lost sleep. Shachi and Bepo looked up at him with interest as Bon Clay practically breathed down the collar of Law's shirt.

"You are _late_!" he shrilled dramatically. Law fell into his chair and clumsily pulled his headset on. Seeing the long queue of calls, he felt exhausted and frustrated, mind running over and over with the things he'd seen and heard. "You are _late_, this is _unacceptable_! These are _important_ customer calls and you are _neglecting_ them, therefore, neglecting _me_. I cannot _stand_ being neglected! How could you think to be _that_ important that you neglect us _all_? Are you trying to get yourself fired?"

"Mr _Clay_," Law began before he activated a call and answered monotonously without logging into his computer first. He hastily did so when the caller immediately ripped into him for a bill he claimed to have paid the month before. Bon Clay whirled in circles behind him, anxious to speak but holding himself back. He gave up and danced away, slapping the chair of another worker and startling him.

Law wiped his eyes and rubbed his face. Bepo carefully placed an energy drink can in front of him, offering with a bright smile on his round face. Shachi snapped his gum, looking at Law skeptically.

Law made a note to remind them of current predicaments, but his mind wasn't at work. It was still on the alien he'd left at the hotel room. He yawned noisily and the caller's vigor snapped viciously to remind him he hadn't muted the speaker.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

**Naghi-Tan:** That'll get turned around, soon :D


	8. Chapter 8

**: : 8**

In the silence of the room, Sanji considered his position in this new world. His mind felt muddled by the newness of this place – it was full of new sights, sounds and smells, with people that seemed so withdrawn from each other. It also made him see how much he'd depended on the various clones and servants that had attended to his every need – dare he say it? He was absolutely spoiled without any independent survival instinct. If he were hungry, he'd give a signal. Thirsty, wardrobe choices, a reminder of his bathing schedule, being carted everywhere, having his cigarettes replenished without being demanded, being flattered hourly by the attention of those that were ordered to do so; having none of that…well, this was a rather rude wakeup call for Sanji.

He thought about the fight he had with Sora – all he truly remembered were the points leading up to it. The impact of that Marine's punch that seemed to rattle his very skeleton despite the Raid Suit's tenacity. The impact he made with the water's surface, just to sit up in very dry conditions in some loser's home. There was no flashy change of scenery or weird noise or sensation – just Sanji hitting water full force. He was confident he had not lost consciousness.

He was confused with his "captor" because he had a hard time determining Law's position in this world. But the man was just like everyone else Sanji had encountered – plain and unassuming, without a shred of threat emanating from his intentions. He wasn't affiliated with any sources of power that Sanji could determine. He talked about a boss but left home to do so. He didn't wear any flashy uniform nor carried any obvious weapons. Sanji understood that he was an artist but it didn't seem like any sort of death art that could be considered preludes to battle or depictions of battle, but glorified figures of women Sanji knew, and of course Sora in some spectacular battle pose. Law drew because he _liked_ to – which was just…odd.

But Law's mystical seeing abilities that he read from _graphic novels_ had Sanji floundering – seeing everything he thought, everything he said out loud, his entire world and everyone that he knew, rendered true in book form caused Sanji to question his own reality. Law had insisted he wasn't behind these – he was a fan, he admired the works only.

Sanji was very real. He was absolutely sure of it. He was nursing very real injuries he'd taken from Teach's attack. His shoulder was still tight and sore from impact with the tree. He could breathe, he could feel tired, hungry, happy and had cigarette cravings – _everything_ that he experienced right now made him real. The only thing that really threw him off was how Law thought of _him_ as a non-threat.

He called Sanji names, talked down to him disdainfully, swore allegiance to Sora, and disrespected him by treating him like a troublesome child - but then again, Law attended to his needs in the most basic of ways and Sanji thought that he couldn't discount that aspect because he had to rely on the man for some grip on survival, here. Sanji didn't feel like he was being treated like a prisoner – he wasn't shackled, he wasn't placed in a jail cell nor was he hounded by guardsmen that were typical of the Marine variety.

Law left him on his own and forced him to survive on his own and fretted when Sanji broke some silly…_laws_. Admittedly, Law made plenty of sense in that Sanji shouldn't act out to draw attention so it caused Sanji a headache wondering if Law was speaking the truth about being an agent in the first place.

Quite honestly, when Sanji thought he'd ever be captured or imprisoned he thought he'd be treated entirely differently; being part of a family that conquered islands, and all. That used force to get what they wanted, so he was pretty sure he wouldn't be treated with any kindness. But Law gave him his own bed to use, his clothes, gave him free rein to destroy his kitchen and then there was that treasure store, the food store, the restaurant…he also sent food directly to this hotel door, delivered by people that didn't resemble servants in any way, but the same type that passed by him in the streets with their plain outfits and snooty faces.

Sanji detected no physical threats from Law but Law seemed to use quick thinking and a flashy mouth to have Sanji second guess himself.

The more he thought about it, Sanji thought that the man had some sort of speaking ability that ensnared and trapped him with words alone, and Sanji wasn't sure how to feel about that. Not seeing a power in use was a strange power to fight. So Sanji convinced himself that Law had unnatural speaking abilities that forced Sanji to think differently of himself and his environment.

_It just made sense_, considering the world Sanji was used to, where people had powers and superhuman abilities to rule over each other. What was life without it? This absolutely couldn't be a world that only _dreamed_ of a world like his – there had to be others like Teach that were there in plain sight!

There was a shrill sound that caused him to jump off the bed in alarm, locating the source of the noise. A red light blinked from the peculiar object near the lamp, with a coiled cord dangling from it. It reminded Sanji of a den-den mushi, so he assumed that this was a communicative device. He never spoke on one – there was always someone in the castle grounds that handled this type of thing. He'd seen Law talking on his rectangular personal tablet, but because this item was so bulky and clumsy, Sanji couldn't think that it was of a similar design. He reached for it with a pensive expression, the noise stopping abruptly once he pulled the top from the bulky bottom. Switching it around, he examined the handset suspiciously. He held the lip with the most holes on the bottom to his mouth because it resembled the handset on a den-den mushi.

"This is Sanji," he said gravely, hoping to hear someone from home on the other end. He looked to the bulky object and heard a murky voice coming from somewhere but there was no face to look into, nor could he understand how he was able to address someone without being able to see them. Once he realized he had to hold the handset to both his ear and mouth, he fumbled with the position in time to hear Law's voice.

"…directly to the source, and it's understood that – "

"Why can't I see your face?" Sanji interrupted, holding the handset away from his face and looking at the coils of bunched cord dangling from underneath it. He picked at it, then searched the device for any sign of a snail's face. "How do I know this is you?"

"I know it's outdated, but we do not have den-den mushi's," Law explained, a touch of impatience to his tone. "You won't see my face. Hold it to your mouth and ear so you can hear what I say and so I can hear what you say."

"What an inconvenient device! You could be a spy for all I know!"

"Sanji, I understand the paranoia, but it is _me_, and even if you had a cellphone – "

"What's a cellphone? Is that the tablet you carry?"

"Yes, now, _listen_ – "

"How can these two devices communicate if one is more outdated than the other?" Sanji asked with bewilderment, looking at the handset he held in one hand before twisting it back up his other ear – upside down. Law was speaking again but his voice was fainter and Sanji maneuvered it back properly back to his other ear, confused at the gesture.

"Stop playing with the phone! I know you're twisting it around, just please listen - !"

Sanji dropped it with a clumsy fumble, jumping away before it could hit his bare feet. It landed atop of the floor so he crouched to retrieve it. But once he did, he noticed that there was some trash underneath the bed, which prompted a bewildered look underneath. He was aghast at what he found.

"Whose room is this?" he shrilled. "You give me instructions and force me to stay in a place that has maids, yet we are occupying someone's room? There is trash underneath this bed – I have lain in this bed, am I trash as well?"

Law sighed noisily.

"How could you treat me, a Vinsmoke _prince_, to these conditions?"

"_Sanji_…please…"

"At least I'd understand I was a prisoner if this were a cell, but it is someone else's room! And it is dirty!" Sanji retrieved some balled up tissue from underneath, looking at it with disgust. There was something inside of it that smelled foul, a sort of cylindrical form that was dried and crusty and melted against the tissue. His face twisted up as he tossed it to the side, straightening away from the bed. "I _demand_ at least a better cell! Or, for once, consider this – "

"Enough with your damn demands! I'm trying – I don't have a lot of time to explain, my boss is staring at me menacingly from his station – "

"How strong is he?" Sanji asked, perking up at the thought of a worthy foe. "Shall I dispatch of him for you?"

"No thank you, I need this health insurance. Did you do all the things I told you to do?"

Sanji honestly couldn't remember what had happened – he only remembered Law spitting out a bunch of demands before he went back to sleep. He shrugged. "I'm not sure. I might've."

Law sighed again.

"I don't follow commands, shit head, _I_ make them. Listen, I've had it up to here with your power – "

"Sanji, _I don't have any power_!"

"Lies! You've pinned me into an invisible cage with just your words, and I cannot escape it because I find myself questioning whether or not this is an actual reality that has set me here. You have undetectable ability to trap a human body into place with the power of _suggestion_," Sanji said with a huff, hand on his hip. "Mind abilities! You have them, and you're using them on me! I seem to be powerless against them!"

Law's long, stretched silence made him wonder if the man was still there. Sanji frowned at the headset, tapping on the mouthpiece.

"_Hello_?"

"I'm still here," Law assured him, voice heavy. Because he couldn't see his face, Sanji wasn't sure what that tone meant. "I've reviewed the information so far with my…comrade, Penguin. You siblings were given injections or vitamins daily, were you not?"

Sanji twirled the cord around one finger as he sat at the edge of the bed, crossing his ankles. "Yes," he ventured reluctantly, because it was true. Garuda had made sure that all the siblings had taken their vitamins and daily potions throughout their entire life.

'Without it,' Garuda had warned them in their childhood when Niji complained and Yonji threatened to throw up, 'you'll become weak in ability and immunity! This is to keep you strong!'

"You've been here for exactly three nights and two days," Law continued. "You might be running without it, and there's no telling what sort of effect it might have on your…unmodified self. With that in mind – for fuck's sake, Mr Clay! Please stop breathing on me!"

Sanji furrowed his brow, uncertain of what he was hearing.

"So you might not be as strong as you were when you arrived! You can't afford to discover this accidently," Law continued breathlessly, like he was moving about. "Heed my instructions, Sanji. You get into an unnecessary encounter with Teach or the Marines, and you will _get hurt_. Do you understand?"

Sanji froze because Law made a valid point. "I understand," he said low.

"_Thank God_. You see that digital number thing on the nightstand next to you?"

Sanji glanced at the clock. "I know what that is, shit head! It's a clock."

"When it reads 6:36 pm, I'll be there. So wait there. Do not move. Are you comfortable right now?"

It was weird that his enslaver was so concerned with Sanji's comfort. He was confused by the gesture. So he answered honestly, "Not with you yelling at me…"

"Okay. If you need to talk to me, call this number." Sanji didn't need to write it down. He memorized the set of numbers Law read off to him, and nodded to signal that he understood. Looking at the numbers on the actual device, the various lines and scribbles that said _something_, he realized he wouldn't know how to call Law anyway. _What a useless gesture_! Sanji huffed.

"Stay out of trouble. Watch television. Eat that food. Don't touch my art stuff, brush your teeth, take a damn shower. If you need clothes, dig some out from that yellow bag on the floor."

Sanji rolled his eyes over to the bag, but he nodded again. "Yeah, yeah, yeah…"

"Okay. I'll be home as fast as possible. Bye bye."

Sanji hung up, dropping the handset back onto the receiver with a noisy clatter of sound. He then clasped his knees with both hands while wearing a bewildered expression. Was it unnatural to automatically fallow this man's spitfire commands? What sort of man was Sanji if he felt compelled to listen to him?

"A formidable opponent," he muttered to himself. But Sanji was resolved. He had to use Law as much as Law was using him. They were holding each other hostage, ready to use each other as bargaining chips if it came down to it. Considering Law's spoken abilities, Sanji had to think that his family would be under the same effect if Law commanded something of them. He grit his teeth and rose up from the bed. He might be the only one that could help his family withstand the man's verbal attacks. He had to strengthen himself by working up some sort of invincibility to Law's abilities, and he had to think about how he was going to do that.

But he had to admit, a shower and a change of clothes _did_ sound nice.

: :

Sanji wouldn't admit he was watching the clock, but when it shifted to read 6:36 pm, he looked over at the door with absolved action. Law was lying. He wasn't here just yet. Which meant everything else was a lie, as well.

He rose up from the edge of his bed, wearing a pair of Law's wrinkled jeans and a Henley shirt. Just as he made to open the locks to make his grand escape, the knob twisted and the door shoved open, Law spilling inside with heavy panting. Sanji's head whipped around to look at the clock, aghast to see that it still read 6:36 pm. But it shifted to 6:37 pm at that moment and he looked at Law with accusation as the man struggled to get his breath back. Behind him, the other agents were looking at him with wide-eyed amazement. Well, two of them at least.

"Who are you people?" he demanded, shoving Law to the side to face them. They were all taller than him, dressed in drabby clothing similar to the ones Law was wearing. Only one was massive and balding, one wore a low slung beanie clear down to his eyes and the other was moving his mouth in such a way that it suggested he was chomping on his gum. "Are you agents as well?"

"These are my…colleagues," Law panted, gesturing at him to move. The three ambled inside, still staring at Sanji. "This is Penguin, he's a huge fan, he knows as much as I. This is Bepo, he is somewhat familiar with the case. And Shachi – non-believer."

They all chimed in with greetings, but Sanji gave them all distrustful stares. He looked to Law, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"You think you can't control me yourself, so you requested backup?"

Law looked lost for a few moments then answered, "They're…assistants. We're going to sort some things out while I get ready to go out and look for Teach."

"Without me?" Sanji cried, slamming the door shut. It cracked noisily against the doorframe and caused the walls to shudder, causing more than one set of shoulders to wince. "_Outrageous_! You're a weakling, what can _you_ do against someone that nearly broke me? You will be killed!"

Law frowned deeply at him, a little embarrassed for him and his childish behavior.

"Are you…foreign?" Shachi asked skeptically, snapping his gum while he gave Sanji a judgmental frown. "That accent is…almost British."

"I am _Germa_, scumbag!" Sanji stared at him for a few moments, then grabbed his face. Law reacted with a gasp, stretching out to somehow prevent Shachi's bodily injury when Sanji swiped the man's gum from his mouth with a curl of his fingers. Shachi jerked backward with a cry before spitting and wiping his mouth frantically. Bepo stared with his mouth dropping open while Penguin froze, unsure of what to do. Wiping his hand upon his shirt, Sanji hissed at Shachi, "Impudent fool. You'll not stand there and call me names."

"_What the hell_?" Shachi cried, putting space between them.

"You are absolutely everything that I've grown up with!" Penguin cried with awe, practically wiggling with joy. "Everything about you is exactly as what is drawn on paper! Right down to the act!"

"A little shorter than I thought," Bepo murmured thoughtfully, beefy hand held over Sanji's head to measure his height.

Sanji swatted that hand away from him with a venomous snarl. "_Don't touch me_."

"Without you, yes," Law interjected, steering him away from the others and forcing him to sit at the table. After he forced him to sit – with just some insistent gestures and a press – Law kept himself between Sanji and the others. "Because we're unsure of your current strength. I cannot risk you getting hurt by Teach if he happens to attack, again. We might not have anything here on Earth to fix you if that happens."

Shachi replaced his gum with a new stick, unimpressed by the skinny man staring at them with princely outrage. He didn't know what the big deal was – Sanji looked like an ordinary man with an ordinary face. Over the top, obviously royalty with that attitude and behavior, and Shachi felt like he'd been let down. With the way the other guys spoke of him, he'd expected something a little more…villainish. Brooding. Intimidating. Something other than what he was seeing now. He seemed to be looking at a damn cartoon in a real man's form. He hoped that this person wasn't just a mentally ill personality that had so convincingly adapted the act to pull in gullible persons…

"This guy isn't that big of a deal when I see him up close," he decided with a sigh.

"Wait until you see him with costume," Law told him with confidence, eyes shining a little. Shachi felt sorry for him. He was such a _dork_… "His appearance is better."

Sanji looked at him with insult.

Shachi held up his hands then, saying, "Whoa whoa whoa, okay, back up! This guy is a supervillain, right? He's the one in costume fighting…superheroes, yes?"

"Yes," Law answered.

"Then why is _he_ staying behind while you two dumb fucks are headed out to look for another super powered guy? I don't understand! Send _him_ instead! This is his situation!"

Law gave a reluctant sigh while Sanji looked at him for a good answer. "To sum up the situation…he is from a family that was genetically modified to be superhumans. They wear super powered suits in battle. Sanji here – "

"That's your name?" Shachi then asked Sanji with a snide lift of his lip.

"Yes, I am the third son!" Sanji snapped back at him.

"Sounds dumb."

"_You_ are dumb!"

"Did a man name you kids? How many of you are there?" Shachi cried.

"There's an older sister, referred to as Zero," Bepo explained. "Ichiji, Niji, Sanji and Yonji. One, two, three, four. The boys are quadruplets."

Shachi looked at Sanji with sympathy while Sanji reddened with rage. "_Sounds_ like a comic book thing…"

Law interfered with a wave of his arm between them. "As I was saying, Sanji here is…questionable. I have come to the conclusion that he is not like his brothers. All of them had been modified free of empathy and compassion, allowing them to be violent and ruthless so that they'll win their battles regardless of what they think of it. But Sanji is lacking in that aspect, and I say this with full confidence."

"That was mentioned in issue 201," Penguin whispered, looking at Sanji with renewed awe while Sanji looked sullen.

"I suspect that without his daily dosage that his father administers to them that Sanji isn't as superhuman as the others," Law clarified. "It might be that only his suit retains superficial powers, and Teach is…has been proven to be very strong. Whatever happens, it's important that we retain _this_ key character in hiding up until a point in which he is absolutely needed. Also, he's a weak character in the first place that relies on his cheap shots because of his strength isn't comparable to his siblings'."

"Ahhhh that's right," Penguin exhaled while Sanji looked insulted once more.

"I can't just sit here and continue to let you insult me!" he snarled at Law, fists clenched. "You keep referring to me as a weak character that cheap shots! This slander shan't continue!"

"'_Shan't'_?" Shachi repeated on a horrified whisper before hiding his sputter behind his hands.

"But _I get it_," Law assured him, standing in front of him just in case he decided to attack. "Now that I had the time to get to know you, Sanji, I get it. I think it's amazing that you've lived this long to be a character of your own standing – even if you don't have the same abilities as your siblings, you are fighting battles as a normal human being against other super powered adversaries. You are strong in your own ability."

Sanji frowned at him. There it was, again. Law's spoken ability at play, creeping into his doubt and soul, forcing him to weaken because it was there.

"So…he's _not_ a villain?" Shachi asked with confusion while Penguin's head tilted with the same attitude. "This is just a patriarchal power play that he unintendedly escaped?"

"He's a villain," Law assured him before Sanji could. He cleared his throat before launching into a clumsy speech. But it was very monotonous and unfeeling, laced with discomfort because everyone's attention was on him and it was very uncomfortable with speaking aloud in front of a group. He broke into a light sweat just because of it. "Because he believes in his cause and follows it upon order. He regards Sora as an enemy, but consider this – he's in a world he knows nothing of without any answers as to why he is here. He has to depend on _us_, who knows just about as much of his world as he does without being citizens ourselves, as a sort of cover before the others from his can catch up. _Whomever_ that might me. If we can get him back to his own world, we end up saving _our_ world without needing Sora's interference."

Bepo nodded his head. "Okay, okay, I think I understand, now," he whispered, his expression clearly obvious about _not_ understanding.

"Did you even _think_ about that thing I'd asked you about?" Shachi asked him.

Law frowned, Sanji watching him for an explanation.

"Whose side are you on?"

"I'm on his," Law answered firmly. He spoke with confidence, a clear difference from his speech earlier. "Because in this world he isn't a villain. He isn't recklessly destroying things or going about on a megalomaniac destruction spree just because he can – he doesn't want to cause that sort of trouble because he understands the disadvantages of that. With that in place, doesn't that make you realize what sort of a person he is?"

Penguin's fingers went to his mouth with understanding – but Shachi looked unconvinced. As a non-believer, he just didn't understand…

But he shrugged, accepting Law's answer for now while Sanji started to look confused. Law turned to him.

"I'm on _your_ side," Law affirmed, reaching out to grip his shoulders. "I want to help you return home, but I also want you to see that you're not all that your father wants you to be, and that's a good thing, Sanji. For yourself, for…Sora – whatever it is that you know, you kept it to yourself because you know it goes against your father's wishes, right?"

"You are on my side until Sora comes along," Sanji verified.

It was an awkward statement that would yield a very awkward answer. But Sanji smiled grimly. "We are in this for ourselves. I would not expect any empathy from a wretched _peasant_, as I am guaranteed that you feel the same. But this understanding works for me, as there are advantages to it that I find fitting. Enough with the soppy speeches already."

Law frowned as that guilty feeling hit him again. But he ended up nodding faintly because it was all he could do at that moment. He straightened away from him. While it was the absolute truth from his end, Sanji was questioning himself and his own standing within Garuda's rule now that he was away from him. This was what Sora was counting on because Sora had been able to see it, too.

Law refused to think that it was because Sanji thought Law had some weird verbal powers to him…_this_ was just common sense.

"I scanned everything in the city's recent social media activity," Penguin said, looking excited. "I'm a Youtube influencer, I have the power of every platform in social media. Snap Chat, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram – "

"Oh? What do you do?" Law asked.

"I animate short cartoons. I was featured in this last year's Rewind! I also stream games and - !"

"He isn't as big as certain people," Shachi scoffed, causing Penguin to frown at him. "Don't let him think that. If he can barely make rent, he's not that big of a deal as he thinks."

"Shut up!"

"_You_ shut up!"

"And there was absolutely nothing about Stealth Black at all?" Law interrupted them.

"Nothing," Penguin reported with a shake of his head. "Absolutely _nada_. I used every tag I could think of, and you'd think, as noticeable as he is in costume, considering how big of a battle that was between him and Teach that there would be something! But _nothing_. Not about him."

"Someone is scouring the internet and removing all traces," Law decided pensively. He then frowned. "I spoke myself hoarse giving a very detailed explanation on everything, and I'd rather not continue talking about it."

The three chimed in with their agreements while Sanji huffed, feeling left out. Law then removed his bag from around his shoulder, glancing at him.

"Bepo and Shachi agreed to stay here with you," he said, Sanji growing indignant as he looked at his cagers, "while Penguin and I are go out into the streets to look for Teach. I need you to do something for me, Sanji."

Sanji looked at him with outrage. "You imprison me, then seek to ask me a favor?"

"Well…duh." Giving a reluctant shrug of his shoulder, Law leaned in close. Sanji was wary at this point, watching his mouth with caution. "I need you to protect them. They're…very big pussies."

"_Hey_," Shachi complained.

"Why should I do that?" Sanji asked Law with revulsion. "Why in the world would I want to _protect_ them – ?"

After some uncertainty and vague embarrassment, giving a cautious glance at his new friends, Law said low, "I command this of you."

Sanji looked at Law with distrust but after looking at Shachi and Bepo once more, the pair so absurdly plain with their weak stances and light faces, Sanji _did_ feel something inside of him that made him feel agreeable to this. After all, the more to his advantage the better, he supposed.

"Fine," he mumbled, much to Law's relief.

Law reached out and patted the top of Sanji's head with an affectionate gesture. "Good call," he said tenderly. "You're a good guy for doing this."

Sanji reddened, veins bulging in his neck and forehead before Law could pull his hand away. But he found himself not doing anything else out of reaction and that caused him immense confusion as Law turned away from him unscathed.

Law was embarrassed for himself as he realized what he did. He didn't mean to pat the other man like a damn kid, but his hand moved on its own. He did have to internally admit that he was a little loopy from seeing the alien wearing his clothes, of which hung awkwardly on him because of the height differences, so perhaps he was wrestling with an explosion of more moe than he was prepared for. But it felt like a crime to show it in front of others, and it felt awkward expressing such towards an alien that seemed unaware of how to accept any type of affection.

…Not that Law was capable of showing it himself. In the midst of all this, was that was it was? Jesus, this was the worst time to be _confused_.

Penguin and Shachi looked at each other with an expression that clearly begged for the other to keep a straight face. Bepo wasn't sure what was happening, but it was happening. He clasped his hands together with worry.

Law made sure his phone was charged, and looked to Shachi. "He's like an overgrown toddler. Are you familiar with those?"

"I've seen a few on the streets," Shachi responded sarcastically.

"If you need anything, call me. We'll be right back. Also, if anyone comes up here asking, he's not here. He's _your_ little brother."

"I think, at my age, I can lie pretty well. C'mon, man…"

"Do NOT, under any circumstance, touch that bag over there. Your eyes will rot out of your head." Law pointed at his art supplies, Shachi regarding it with a skeptical expression. Law looked to Penguin.

"You ready?"

"I'm so _excited_!" Penguin squealed with excitement. "A real life adventure!"

Once they left, Shachi and Bepo looked at Sanji with unease. Sanji looked at them. He rose from his chair, both men freezing with anticipation as Sanji's face darkened with a threatening scowl.

"Now that he's gone," he said low, reaching for his Raid Suit container, "I have the power to do what I want."

Shachi looked worried as he leaned into Bepo, whispering, "_Get the leash_."

Thinking quickly, Bepo whipped out his phone. "Sanji, sir? Are you interested in this week's spoilers? They were just released. Why don't we sit down and look at them together? Law had mentioned that you think they are your future, so why don't we see what's in store for you? Well, just to refresh your memory, in case you don't already know, you and your family was imprisoned and Sora intended on talking to you, but he was drawn off to a battle in Rosa that expanded chapters and characters and it's been a good few years since we saw you. So! Let's see if there's any mention of you now that Sora can take a breath…"

Sanji wore an expression of confusion as the big man tapped at his phone and Shachi prepared himself to run if he had to. But once Bepo showed him a window that was dedicated to a _Sora: Warrior of the Sea_ fan forum, Sanji found his attention drift to that. He lowered his hand as Bepo anxiously crossed the space between them to sit at the edge of the bed. He patted the space beside him for Sanji to sit, wearing a light smile.

"You'll have to read it to me, vermin," Sanji warned him, sitting daintily next to him while Shachi relaxed with a relieved sigh. "And no trickery! Or I'll snap your dumb head between my ankles before shoving that guy's ugly face up your ass. Is that clear?"

"Oh, _very_," Bepo assured him, clearing his throat once he pulled up the raws.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope this all makes sense – I envisioned Sanji without Zeff's commanding redirection, spoiled rotten and clumsy without much thought to others, but since he seems to lack the mean gene that his brothers have, he's not that bad of a villain. He thinks Law has superhuman abilities that convince him to think and "stay" but Law doesn't have powers – it's Sanji's own mind opening to the differences and subtly listening to instinct to trust that this Tumblr artist actually possesses some common sense. XD

Chilassa: I'm so sorry that you found this story instead! XD I'm quite positive Stealth Black will be a better character in the actual Sora comics than depicted here lol!


	9. Chapter 9

**: : 9**

Shachi and Bepo were showing Sanji Tik Tok videos, the upbeat rush of meme culture hitting Sanji hard as he struggled to understand them. The two normal humans were getting a kick out of them while Sanji demanded more girl videos, not understanding that the quip on sandwich making was only a joke and not an actual service. Penguin burst into the room, startling all of them, Sanji rising up with a guilty expression.

"Good news, we found Teach," Penguin gasped for breath, hands on his knees, "bad news, he took Law hostage! Sanji, you _have_ to go get him!"

Sanji _tsk_ed while the other two looked alarmed. "Why didn't he use his speaking abilities to free himself?" Sanji complained. "He can talk his way out of that one's grasp. I have confidence in his strength."

"You nimrod! Law doesn't have any powers!" Shachi snapped at him, slapping his shoulder. "Go do your power thingy and rescue our dude!"

"Did you attempt to assault me? I will pay the favor back – tenfold!"

"Law doesn't have any powers," Penguin said, confused. He brushed his shirt off, all of them suddenly noticing that he was covered in trash. "I…jumped into a Dumpster to avoid the same fate. Sorry."

"Did Teach know that holding Law hostage would draw out Stealth Black?" Bepo asked with worry, standing to fiddle with his fingers. He looked at Sanji with the same expression, the prince looking unconcerned. "Because _of course_ it wouldn't work. Why should the third Vinsmoke prince lower himself to save a commoner? That's someone else's job."

Shachi looked at Bepo with outrage. "You idiot! What does -?"

Penguin quickly caught on. He laughed, hands on his hips. "Of course not! _Of course_ it's someone else's job! Sanji has better things to do, like…uh…take to tea…or something. Primp for his next outing. Whatever it is that princes do when they're not being commanded to take over a hapless island or two for their megalomaniac father's plans for their future…"

"Someone stronger and _heroic_ is needed here," Bepo added, sitting stiffly back on the bed. Sanji's face started to twist with some dismay. "After all, villains shouldn't lower themselves to bother with anyone that has taken them captive."

"We'd definitely do it if we could," Penguin stuttered nervously, adjusting his beanie, "but we'd _definitely_ die in the process because we're not trained warriors."

"Die gruesomely ugly deaths," Bepo agreed stoically. "I'm fat, you're out of shape and Shachi is allergic to stairs. Our only hard efforts is knee to chest in crosswalks to avoid being splattered by wayward cars."

Sanji started to look vaguely guilty.

Penguin found the remote to the television set. "Where's the porn? We're not paying for it, it goes on Law's credit card, right?"

Shachi started to realize what was happening as Sanji looked disgusted, fingers clenching into fists at his side.

"That guy's a weirdo anyway," Penguin continued. "He should've known better than to try and help some alien prince get back home, knowing exactly who he is in the first place…"

"Right?"

All of them looked at Sanji, who continued to wear a pensive expression. The air of expectation in all of them rose in tension before Sanji muttered, "_Fine_."

He withdrew the can from the back of his pants with a considerate expression. "Where did Teach take him?"

"Oh?" Shachi asked, crossing his arms tightly as he nervous sweated. "You're going to go get him? After all, why is that your job?"

"Because – "

"You're an unmodified _weakling_," Shachi pointed out, which caused Sanji to redden furiously, "and Teach has already beaten you once. You enjoy eating someone else's fist?"

"I am not _weak_," Sanji snapped at him, transforming right in front of their eyes. Despite himself, Shachi watched the transformation with bewilderment while the other two danced with glee. Shachi ended up covering his eyes at one point, seeing too much of the villainous third son. But once Stealth Black stood in front of them, numbered cape fluttering around his shoulders with a snap, Shachi peered at him with awe. He adjusted his glasses as Stealth Black adjusted his face mask and pulled at his kerchief. "This isn't to retrieve that weakling of a man who claims himself an artist first. This is to prove that I am a worthy adversary of a strong foe."

"_Okay_! Cool!" Penguin cried, practically dancing in place. "_This is so cool_! You're the actual guy! _Wow_! Can I touch you, _please_?"

"NO!"

"Wait, did you just undergo a magical girl transformation?" Shachi then asked, looking horrified. "I swear I heard music…"

Bepo's eyes glittered as Stealth Black pierced Shachi with a glare. "What part of me resembles a woman, idiot? This isn't magic – this is Germa technology! Cease your whiny whimpering for someone who cares!"

Stealth Black reacted with a start as he realized Penguin was breathing heavily on him, examining the minute details of his suit. Pressing on his jaunty kerchief with sweaty hands and inhaling of his shoulder deeply. It gave him goosebumps, pushing away from him with a startled cry.

"Fools! Enough of your sniveling!" Stealth Black then snapped at them while Bepo clapped with awe and Penguin caught himself, hand pressed to his chest while Shachi gave them both disbelieving looks. "I will retrieve the wimp! Give me the coordinates of his last location!"

Penguin straightened, giving a wince. "Well…I don't know about that…we'll have to take an Uber."

Fifteen minutes later, the driver looked at them skeptically as the three unloaded themselves in front of an abandoned office building, located near the north side of town. It was close by Law's apartment, but centered within a series of small buildings that boasted brilliant neon signs, parking garages and an active night life.

"He took him here," Penguin stated, pointing up at the dark multi-story structure in front of them. Shachi impatiently slapped at the mysteriously flapping cape that seemed to flutter up against him, causing Stealth Black to snarl at him. "Said that he's expecting you. Also, we can't go with you. Something about if you bring assistance, he will kill Law and all those that try to help you."

"Thank God he said it," Shachi said with relief. "As interesting as this is, I don't know how long I can keep a straight face."

"Oh _no_," Bepo murmured with worry, eyes huge behind his wire rimmed glasses. "Poor Trafalgar. I hope you can rescue him without incident, Stealth Black! Only you can do this!"

"I'm not rescuing that moron," Stealth Black snapped at all of them, determining his landing as his goggles switched to infrared and told him where Teach was located. He spotted two figures on the eighth floor – one standing off to the side while another was seated on the floor. He nodded to confirm this. "I'm going to use that guy to get some answers in order to return home!"

"Well, show us a superhero show, I don't got all night," Shachi said with an unenthusiastic sigh, waiting for Stealth Black to do something impressive. Penguin fumbled with his phone while Bepo waited with an awed expression.

With a grumble, Stealth Black faded from view. Shachi had to remove his glasses to look around incredulously while the other two squealed with joy. Shattering glass overhead caused them to look up with mystified expressions, shielding themselves moments later when debris rained down over them.

"_Whoo hoo_!" Penguin cried as some passerby looked over with curiosity. "Get 'im, Stealth Black!"

: :

Teach jerked around with surprise at the sound of shattering glass coming from a window nearby. On the floor, Law sat awkwardly with his hands tied behind his back, held together with a plastic zip tie. It had been pretty uncomfortable conversation between the pair of them as Teach passed the time yapping about his plans and his reason for absorbing Vinsmoke abilities, but going off on tangents that weren't even related to his motives. The man was pretty chatty and open, definitely not the man Law had first run into but he felt like he couldn't let his guard down around him.

Teach was a man who knew almost every detail of Sora like Law did – but he also seemed quite aware of how the pair of them had arrived into this world, not yet revealing that detail. Law had a feeling this encounter would turn into a traditional hero versus villain act, but he was confused on who was who. Teach hated Germa with a passion, but he wasn't associated with them by any means. He also spoke of that world like it was his own, which gave Law goosebumps.

Neither of them could see Stealth Black, but Law could hear the faint whooshing noises of his movements as he moved from one area to the other, making it difficult for Teach to pinpoint his location.

"Jimmy!" Teach boomed, stalking forward as that black energy seemed to sizzle around him like a heat wave. "So, we meet again! You've received my message, I am glad."

"I'm not here to rescue anybody," they heard Stealth Black say from a distance away, "I'm here to take on a worthy adversary. Prove that I am not to be discounted!"

"Forget about it, Jimmy, zehahahahha!" Teach laughed, grabbing Law by one arm and jerking him to his feet. He shook him so hard that his teeth rattled together. "Any wrong move, and I will discombobulate him like a discarded toy!"

"Go ahead!" Stealth Black taunted from somewhere behind them, forcing them to turn to look in that direction. "Whoever thought of me as a hero? _Heroes_ rescues victims, I make victims."

"You did," Law pointed out with confusion, "by being that person and having _this_ person use me as a bargaining tool, essentially, you made a victim. Of course, I didn't expect you to rescue me, but use me as a tool yet again against this person to ensure that you have a way in to discover more of his presence in this world that aligns with yours. Therefore, I _am_ a victim from both your ends while awaiting a hero which may or may not be either of you depending on your goals. Both of you can be either my hero or my villain, depending on your actions."

"…_Huh_?" came Stealth Black's confused mutter, somewhere from their left.

Teach looked at him suspiciously. "Ze haha. Hah. _What_ are you doing?"

"I mean, I have to make myself clear on things," Law told him. "If I don't, people grow confused as to what's actually happening."

"But, it is obvious what is happening here," Teach pointed out. "I take you as hostage so that Stealth Black is forced to face me."

"But Stealth Black doesn't care," Law stressed, "because _I _am _his_ captor."

"He holds _me_ hostage!" Stealth Black cried indignantly from their upper left, their eyes tilting towards the ceiling. "I am a helpless captive in his grasp!"

Teach looked skeptical.

"But at the same time," Law added, "I am a pawn to draw _him_ in to _you_ so that you can work your magic, and when the time is right, I will use you both against each other to make my way to safety, without any weight to either of your agendas…"

Teach narrowed an eye. "Do you have strong speaking abilities that would render us into fools?"

Law sighed noisily.

"For _I_ am the villain of this story!" Teach boomed, shaking his arm.

"No, _I_ am!" Stealth Black shouted from their right. "_I_ am the villain of this story, for I am from a conquering family that dominates and separates the mundane from the extraordinary!"

"_No_," Teach argued, "_I_ am because I am against you, and my agenda overrides yours."

"But I don't have one, I wasn't assigned one recently. I am running on spontaneous option…"

"My _spontaneous option_ is dominating you and taking what is useful of you for my own use."

"I will stop you!"

"So that makes _you_ the hero of this story," Law pointed out. "Stealth Black, you are the hero to this encounter because you are rescuing me from a villainous mystery that happens to have no weight in Sora's world, nor in mine."

Both of their confusion was heavy as the silence fell. Law looked pained.

"So," Stealth Black appeared suddenly at their right, fluttering into view as Teach looked at him with some puzzled action, "if I rescue you from that man…it would make _me_ a hero in this world. Taking on a weight to my proud shoulders that I could never burden in my world…"

"Yes, this sounds correct," Teach murmured with a confused expression. "Because you are a villain in your world, in this one, it is opposite because you are taking on the actions of a hero."

"But I've never been a hero before," Stealth Black said anxiously. "What if I don't do it right?"

"I'm not entirely sure what is necessary to make a hero," Teach confessed, letting go of Law to rub his chin. "But I am sure that whatever action you take tonight, _you_ will be one by the end of it. Which makes _me_ the villain in the second place. For I am trying to dominate you."

"But you've already discovered that he doesn't have any powers," Law stated patiently. "So dominating him isn't going to gain you anything. No power, no gain – what can you do against Sora with just a stain on your hands?"

"I…was hoping for a better outcome," Teach said. "Grander abilities than what I have now. Ze ha haha. _Hah_."

"So if he rescues me tonight," Law said with a touch of severity in his tone, "all that you would prove to Sora is that you're capable of taking hostages. Everyone knows what happens to those guys, buddy. You get pummeled with no option to respawn as something better. You take nothing, you end up with nothing, meanwhile, Stealth Black gets labeled as a hero for the simple action of rescuing a disadvantaged human who doesn't really have a name in either of your words. Like swatting a fly in a room full of robots. Why should you be rewarded?"

Stealth Black and Teach looked wholly confused. They looked at each other, then at Law, then down at their hands. Law indicated for Teach to remove the plastic tie around his wrists.

"If you let me go," he said slowly, "you can start over with a different outcome. Just two villains battling each other for street cred. No hostages necessary. Neither one of you are the hero or villain. Just two dudes fighting for the glory of it."

"You have a point, there," Teach admitted, snapping the ties free. Law rubbed his wrists painfully, then looked at both of them.

"Give me to the count of twenty, then go ahead and fight it out," he said, turning and heading for the door.

Both of them counted off silently as he made his way out. They glanced at each other.

"This is awkward," Teach said.

"Yes, no doubt," Stealth Black confessed. "I feel like I was let down, but at the same time, I feel like a fool coming into this thinking differently."

"Isn't that funny? Ze ha haha ha! Me, too. I expected a glorious battle with a bargaining chip in case I needed it, but now I feel like a fool for thinking that he'd be of any value. Obviously, he isn't valuable if you don't think he is valuable."

"No, he's really not. He's just an artist. He only draws things for entertainment, and can easily be replaced," Stealth Black agreed.

"I know you don't have any powers," Teach then said, "but I feel like I should at least beat you into oblivion anyway."

"That sounds fantastic. If only you could do it – because I definitely won't allow you to do so."

"Then, a glorious fight it is, then, right?"

They looked up at the sound of a clearing throat, Law peeking in from the doorway with a sheepish expression. "Forgive me for interrupting," he said, "but I believe Teach has a confession to make. He is actually from your world, Stealth Black, but he isn't a known character to mine."

"Is this so?" Stealth Black asked Teach.

"Born and raised, I confess…yet, the world I discovered upon accident on paper," Teach said, glancing at Law, "was exactly like the world I left so I had to explore it. I don't understand it very well – how can our world be so broadly written as to pinpoint the focal adventures of one person when all of us exist around him normally?"

"Right?" Stealth Black agreed. "Who is writing this drivel and passing it off as _fantasy_ when we clearly exist right in front of them and each other?"

"We shouldn't be fighting against each other, brother," Teach decided. "We _must_ find the person responsible for giving away our details like we'd given them permission to do so!"

"You're right! We must find the creator! Surely he is a spy from our world, hiding our secrets in plain sight!"

Law sighed with disappointment from the doorway.

"_Now_ what?" Teach complained as Stealth Black looked at Law with annoyance.

"You see, that's complicated as well," Law began, "because this man's imagination is limitless. As the concept of traveling between worlds is nothing but a fantasy, it would be hard to accuse the creator of _Sora_ as a spy from your world. We human beings love our imaginations, it drives us to make fantastic things, but to think that another world actually exists and you two are from it – well, it's hard to accept. No one reacts to you two as one would from your world, right?"

They both grumbled about it.

"So, if you cart yourselves off to confront the creator of _Sora_, it'll only look like you two were crazy in the first place. Wearing odd costumes and sprouting odd things – once the creator reflects this in his art, do you not think that the actual Sora would be alerted and come here to punish you two? _You_ fear Sora, which gave you fuel to think that taking _his_ power would benefit you enough to defend yourself," Law then stated, pointing at Teach then at Sanji in turn, "and _you_ fear Sora because you have a secret that only you carry about Sora that you need to use as a bargaining chip for later adventures. If it wasn't so precious, you wouldn't be hiding it with so much effort as to not tell your beloved family in the first place."

Teach worked his jaw from side to side while Stealth Black wore an expression of indifference, looking off to the side.

"So with that in mind, why ruin the advantage of this new world by alerting Sora right away that you're here? Why not milk your exploration quietly by avoiding that confrontation and seeing what you're allowed to do here without the constraints of being attacked and returned?"

"But, I come here with purpose," Teach argued while Stealth Black looked at Law with frustration, "and that purpose was to take _his_ powers."

"So you followed him, having been witness to his propulsion here?"

Teach shrugged. "I had infiltrated your father's army," Teach confessed to Stealth Black, "and I had seen the confrontation. I saw how Sora dispatched of you and your siblings, and once I realized that you weren't returning, I used the same machine that he'd used in order to ambush you."

"So, Sora _did_ send me here," Stealth Black verified with a furrowed brow.

"He did. With some type of machine," Teach added. "I'm not clear of the mechanics. I only fight people for strength, not…read into things too deeply. Actually, I had counted on him continuing to monitor you in order to force him to take me back with my accomplished victory. Yet, that plan has failed because you do not have any abilities."

Stealth Black's face wasn't entirely visible, but Law could read that frustrated expression beneath his goggles and face mask.

"So, what am I to do, now?" Teach cried. "Do I gain attention from Sora by behaving wickedly, or do I just lay low because I am a god in this world, and can take advantage of it?"

"If you have abilities that suck powers from another, then they're useless here," Law pointed out. "Because none of us are superhumans. We're ordinary and plain."

After some consideration, Teach leaned into Stealth Black, whispering, "_However_ did you find this speaker? He is dangerous."

"He is, and _he_ found _me_," Stealth Black whispered back warily.

Teach looked panicked, looking at Law with fright. Without another word, he turned and hastily jumped through the window. Stealth Black looked after him with surprise. Law pulled away from the doorway with a mystified expression, hurrying over to the broken window to look out. Teach was racing through the pedestrians on the sidewalk, looking over his shoulder with terror.

"He's unexpectedly cowardly, isn't he?" Law murmured to himself while Stealth Black looked at him doubtfully.

Law then looked upset. "I was hoping to be an up close witness to a grandiose battle between you, but both of you are surprisingly easy to manipulate."

"_I KNEW IT_!"

Shaking his head with disappointment, Law sighed.

Down on street level, they walked up to the trio that were waiting anxiously on the sidewalk where Stealth Black had left them. Their heads were tilted up, catching the attention of others that passed by – they were looking up curiously, as well. When Law approached, they performed double takes and then looked at Stealth Black with confusion.

"Did you win?" Shachi asked with disappointment.

"Good to have you back, buddy," Penguin said with a slap on Law's shoulder. Bepo hugged him from behind, pulling him from his feet.

"I'm not sure what happened," Stealth Black murmured, brow furrowed. "We were going to fight and then this one manipulated us with his speaking abilities and suddenly Teach was running away and I was left floundering in an abysmal quandary that has me questioning my entire existence…"

The trio looked confused, then disappointed as they looked at Law. Most of the passerby gave Stealth Black funny looks but continued off once they realized nothing special was happening.

Stealth Black transformed, causing one car to plow into other parked cars, knocking down a light pole. Ignoring that matter, pedestrians screaming as they avoided the chaos, he said, "Now that Teach has confessed to his origins, how do I gain Sora's attention? He is monitoring me, right? He sent me here. It is essential that I ask him these things."

After a worried look to the shouts happening nearby, Law glanced at him. "I don't think you should think too much of it. If he sent you here, it was for a good reason. It's Teach that we should be worried about."

"Where is he?" Shachi asked curiously.

"He ran away."

"_Why_? Without a fight? Nothing happened! I was expecting Superman and General Zod action, not…_nothing_. How is this going to make me believe in any of this shit? Am I being played?"

Sanji gripped Law's arm and shook it. "He spoke him into fear! You say this man lacks abilities? He caused doubt and insecurity in both of us! Neither of us, Teach and I, know we exist! We are but pawns in his mental mind game!"

"Oh, the horror this third son has experienced at the hands of a clever manipulator, a mastery of mind abilities!" he then cried, Law looking blank as Sanji twirled away, arms up in the air as people raced about, unsure of what they were panicking about. The driver of the car was standing outside of it, wincing as he examined the damage. "Forever trapped in a world that continues to flummox his every thought! Are _you_ a superhuman? Am _I_? Who am I truly to exist? Am I but a figment of someone's imagination?"

Penguin looked at Law skeptically. "What's this about?"

"I don't know, I said a few things and they both reacted dramatically to it," Law explained flatly.

"Well, they are created to entertain!" Bepo exclaimed. "Of course they would react dramatically to an event! Why would we read it if there weren't any excitement?"

"Aw, this is horseshit!" Shachi complained, snapping his gum. "I was ready to believe, too! What a mor-roon!"

Law looked over to see that Sanji had dropped dramatically to the street, holding himself aloft by his hands. A couple of cars had to stop to avoid hitting him, honking at him noisily.

Then he had to furrow his brow thoughtfully as Shachi impatiently yelled at Sanji to get off the street.

_Am _I_ a superhuman_? _There's no way I can have this much power_…_with only the ability to cause insecurity and doubt with just the power of my words, is it alright to have this much power? Of whose side do I stand, if so?_

He steepled his hands together, looking pensive about it.

Penguin looked at him from the corner of his eye, wondering if he'd just witnessed the birth of a powerful superhero(?).

* * *

**A/N:** This story is just…XD but it's been so much fun to write. Unfortunately, it's going to continue.

**Guest**: He is! If only it'd break free – if only there was someone to help him realize his true potential! _Someone_ in the universe! *looks*

**Nehalenia**: Welcome back! He's so dramatic it hurts. I'm trying to keep this story light and humorous while I'm in the mood (emotional writer here!). Specialized Tantrum Display is as trademarked as the Vinsmoke transformation sequences XD As for the mystery of Sora's involvement, that will be solved in fanfiction fashion later on…he will make an appearance. I have goosebumps just thinking about it. XD

**Naghi-Tan**: The bromance is always real in my eyes!


	10. Chapter 10

**: : 10**

They ended up returning to Law's apartment because the threat of Teach was gone. For such a big man with crazy abilities, it was pretty disappointing for Law that Teach was a coward. Exhausted, Law flopped onto his couch with his bags still slung around him; he had to carry them because "princes aren't pack mules". He made to kick off his shoes, but the energy to complete the task wasn't there, so he just settled there with his face down in the cushion. Sanji slammed the door shut and looked at him with grave disappointment.

"Your stamina is lacking," he said venomously.

Law was too tired to think into that. He could barely keep his eyes open. It was too much excitement and lack of sleep that had caught up to him, and his very human reaction to it all catching up to him all at once.

"I am disappointed in you," Sanji continued, kicking aside the coffee table to stand over him ominously. "You have caused vast insecurity in myself, a proud Vinsmoke prince, and succeeded in terrifying a potentially dangerous man into a cowardly retreat. Yet, you cannot stay awake to make sure that _I_ am comfortable? What if I am hungry?"

Law turned his head the other way, hoping he'd be too exhausted to even take note of Sanji's misdeeds while he was sleeping.

"I will demand of your neighbors to feed me, then," Sanji threatened once he saw that Law wasn't moving. He headed to the door, opened it and closed it, waiting for a reaction. Once he saw that Law wasn't reacting, he gave a heavy frown. He strode back over to Law, hands on his hips. "While you are sleeping, how do I watch these short videos that Shachi and Bepo have shown me? I would like to see more of the Muah girl. The one with the pigtails. I have yet to convince myself that she is this boy that Shachi claims she is. _Get up_. Do this one thing. Assert yourself against me!"

_Five more minutes_, Law thought, feeling himself drift away.

"Weakling!" Sanji cried in outrage. He saw that one shoe was dangling from Law's foot, and used the tip of his shoe to nudge that away. Then he couldn't stand the uneven sight so he removed the man's other shoe with an outraged sweep. All Law did was curl up with his back to him, pulled slightly to the edge of the couch with the weight of his baggage. Huffing, Sanji removed those, too, setting aside the one that he knew contained all of Law's electronics.

He then leaned over him, bracing himself against the wall behind the couch. "If we fell asleep like you did, our father would awake us with a vicious reprimanding. If I should do this to you, would you be stronger? Of course this is important to me, because if I am to show my face in front of my family once more, I want to make sure that my captor is a strong one. _Hello_?"

Law snored noisily, causing Sanji to push away from the wall. He huffed again, looking around the apartment for something to do. He spotted his cookbook laying against the side of the couch and brightened. He pulled that to his chest, cradling it protectively. Then he primly sat down on the other end of the couch, looking through it with cheer. He favorited some pages with a fold of a corner, then looked up at the sound of a peculiar sound. It was the same sound he'd heard today, when Law had spoken to him on the _not_ den-den mushi. Realizing it was coming from Law's back pocket, Sanji carefully swiped out the tablet and looked upon it with bewilderment.

He pressed on the green button because he could tolerate Yonji, but not Ichiji. When he heard a voice on the other end, he brightened and held the phone to his ear in the same manner as he'd seen Law do.

"This is Sanji," he stated, hoping it was a voice he knew.

"Sanji," the voice on the other end said, obviously mechanically altered. Sanji perked up. "I have been watching you."

"From _where_, fiend? I shall find you and ruin you for spying upon me!"

"Don't worry about it. I am aware of your arrival here on Earth…as you know, this planet is entirely different from what we know," the voice continued mysteriously. Because of the alteration, Sanji just could not place who it could be. He could only rely on what he heard from the other end to try and guess the caller's intentions. "None of the humans you've come into contact with, save for Marshall Teach, are like us. You must treat them gently. Carefully. It is easy to make a mistake you'll never forgive yourself for."

"I don't make mistakes," Sanji replied hotly. "I know exactly what I am doing. _Who are you_?"

"Help me understand this…Sanji. What is that book you are holding?"

Mystified, Sanji looked down at the cookbook then all around him, searching for a possible snail that could be monitoring his every action. He dropped it aside of him and rose from the couch, searching Law's shelves.

"It is a cookbook," he murmured, eyes narrowed in suspicion. He looked over at the hole in the apartment wall. "For this…Earth food."

"Oh? This world's foods interest you?"

"_NO_, I am just searching for something my captor can possibly take the time out of his busy schedule to make for me," Sanji snapped, reddening. "This world's food has left me disgusted, despite it looking quite – "

"What is your favorite recipe?"

_What an odd question_, Sanji thought with a mystified expression. He looked at the book once more. "Are you seeking to find any weaknesses in me? Because I assure you, I have none."

"Surely you can pinpoint one meal that captures your interest."

"What a strange question to ask of me!" Sanji then cried indignantly, but he pulled the book onto his lap while Law continued to snore. He reached behind him to push at the man's longer legs in an effort to wake him up but Law just curled up tighter against the back cushions. "Frankly, stranger, I am more interested in knowing why you are spying upon me. Also, you must be from where I am from since you are familiar – is this Teach?"

"Of course not, but I am investigating him as well. I always thought the roasted chicken looked amazing…they have different spices than ours."

Still wearing that expression, Sanji remembered that particular dish. He didn't flip to it, though, scrunching his forehead.

He asked low, "Why did you send me here?"

The sigh coming from the other end was weary. "I am sorry, but…I saw an opportunity. I couldn't abandon it. I felt it necessary at the time to do so. Unfortunately, I had not suspected Marshall Teach's actions to follow. Has he hurt you?"

"No." Sanji was bewildered that he was right – this was _Sora_ he was talking to. Question after question hit his mind, but they all muddled into things he couldn't quite sort through to ask them individually. All that remained was a frustration he didn't feel safe enough to divulge into. He relaxed, idly picking at the fraying knees of his borrowed jeans. "This man that holds me captive, his ability to render us both into such insecurity and doubt about ourselves…neither of us can quite get back to his feet after he speaks."

Sora laughed, an altered sound of humor that caused Sanji to scowl.

"I'm quite positive he is of no ability, he is only a very fast thinker! I had my doubts at first, but I no longer doubt that you will come to harm because of him! All I ask of you, Sanji, is that you continue through this with an open mind. If you have to question yourself over whether you should or should not, pay attention to that. Doubt leaves you open to new possibilities."

Sanji made a sour face.

"I've got to go."

"No, wait! I have – I want to go home! I can't stay here forever!"

"Sorry – I'm –connection – lost," the voice returned, but Sanji was sure this was a trickery made only of vocal noises and dramatics because he could hear a voice speaking normally to Sora from the other end. Once Sora hung up, Sanji looked at the phone with a bewildered face. The connection was gone, leaving behind some dramatic Sora action scene wallpaper with his foes scattered around him.

Sanji's face soured heavier looking at that. He tossed the device over his shoulder with a frustrated noise. With the confirmation of Teach's tale in that Sora was the one to send him here – which felt fine, considering Sora was an opponent that stretched for any advantageous opportunity to fell a dangerous enemy such as Sanji – Sanji acknowledged that he felt better knowing that Garuda wasn't behind this.

_My father hasn't rid of me_, he thought with some relief. _But is he looking for me_?

: :

Law lifted his head with a loud snort. Blearily, he looked around his apartment, mind fuzzily putting together the pieces. It was _too_ quiet – he attuned himself to the silence and realized he couldn't hear Sanji snoring from the other room. Tiredly, he pushed himself to sit up, rubbing his eyes. He needed to find his extra pair of glasses, apply for new ones, check on the status of the incoming wall repairs, get some groceries –

He stood up suddenly when he realized how quiet it was within the apartment. Cursing, he tripped over his bags then the coffee table, making his way to the bedroom to check. Sanji looked at him with bewilderment once Law slammed against the doorframe as a cramp hit the back of one thigh. He groaned, squeezing that leg while he registered that Sanji was sitting outside of his closet, all of his clothes laying on the bed and the shelves emptied of every personal artifact Law had stowed in there. Including his highly mortifying collection of doujinshis and old swimsuit first issues that he had kept sealed in a lockbox. One magazine was open in Sanji's lap, pages wrinkled as he gripped them with excitement. Sanji stared up at him like a guilty kid while Law straightened up and looked at him furiously.

"_My precious collection_!" he hissed, feeling his neck and face redden.

"You're a pervert," Sanji pointed out, turning a page. His eyes widened with disbelief as he drooled over the spread. "How are they so _perfect_?"

"You're the pervert for finding them and - ! _Argh_." Law strode over and snatched the issue from Sanji, closing it up and slamming it back into the safe. He noticed that the lid was peeled aside, metal obviously no problem for the alien. He pushed the rest of his guilty pleasures into there and closed it as best he could while Sanji looked pouty.

"We have things like that where I'm from," Sanji said lightly, "but they're more decent. Here, there is no inhibitions. Like those shows you watch! I've seen parts of a woman I didn't know existed! I'd always thought they resembled moving mannequins with…no bodily functions."

Law looked at him with concern, holding the lockbox to his chest. "That statement troubles me…"

"_Why_?"

"Everyone has taken a health class as a child and saw different parts to another gender's body and…" Law trailed off at the blank look Sanji was giving him. "I'm _sure_ you were educated on that topic to at least know that both sexes are similar in bodily functions, just with different parts."

Sanji's expression turned disgusted, which caused Law to think that this monster was not educated. "No, that's…that's a lie," Sanji denied. "Because most women are absolutely perfect and unlike us men."

"Buddy, when you finally marry, I worry about your wife."

"She'll be placed on a pedestal and worshipped as a goddess! The thought of holding her hand makes me feel absolutely floaty!" Sanji squealed with delight, dancing in place. "It takes my breath away! The _glorious_ feel of her soft fingers and warm palm against mine makes my skin tingle!"

Law stared at him. "That's it? _Hand holding_?"

Sanji straightened and looked at him blankly. "Of course. That other stuff on your show? I can't imagine ever doing _that_ with a woman."

Law looked horrified as Sanji then looked down at himself with accusation.

"Women shouldn't be handled so viciously, stabbed repeatedly over and over with an organ used to pee with – "

"_Oh my fucking Jesus_!"

"The thought of sweating and peeing on her makes me feel urgently ill," Sanji then said with anxious action, still wearing that face while pressing a hand to his stomach. Law was pretty sure he hadn't that sort of content in his collection, horrified as he wondered if Sanji meant ejaculating. Sanji then clasped his hands together with a merry expression. "But hand holding is clean and neat, pure and tidy! She wouldn't be troubled - !"

"Okay, enough, this – _obscene_ purity is making me sick," Law interrupted, leaning against the doorframe. "I feel like I'm conversing with a damned child. Hopefully law enforcement isn't somehow spying on me to charge me with terrible crimes…"

"My father raised us to be _warriors_, not lovers," Sanji reminded him. "But inside, I know for sure I'm a lover because that sort of romanticism is strong within me. I always have to hide it, but it's okay to present my taste in front of my brothers, all of whom fantasize about the same thing. We can all agree that holding the hand of a lady would send us into a conniption fit."

Law rubbed his tired eyes and refused to think that a bunch of bawdy brothers had no idea what was in store for them when it came to certain relations with a woman. The modifications they'd all undergone had removed emotions from the group – _supposedly_ – so perhaps Sanji was speaking the truth. They were all raised to conquer and dominate, so did this not include the general specifics of intimacy with another gender? It would make sense, and it gave hint to the depth these siblings had undergone.

"Sanji," he then questioned, dropping his hand, "how do you think your mother had you?"

Sanji gave him an impatient look. "Father created us from a lab! Mother incubated us, but I have limited memory of my mother because she was gone while we were very young, so I'm sure it was just to tend to us while we were in our pods."

Law gave him a brief lesson on that, but after, Sanji scoffed at the concept.

"That's _silly_," he declared. "The topic of this intimacy that you've tried to force upon me is another one of your weird abilities to make me believe that this exists. You are inserting baseless theories into my head in order to throw me off. I cannot believe another word you say."

Law stared at him in silence, then clung to the doorframe as the energy left him just as quickly as it had come on.

"Must you be so _dramatic_?" Sanji then complained. "Enough with your shit. I'm done with your mind manipulations."

He stood, brushing himself off while Law continued to sag against the door, looking for strength.

"Do your fantasies prelude your difficulties as a man to be alone? I noticed that you don't talk to a singular female, even to flirt with them while we're out. Don't you have someone on the regular? Someone I can meet?"

"No, I don't," Law muttered. "Mostly…because I can't talk to a female. They're…intimidating. I did get the number of a cosplayer, once. But something happened between texts…I fear she might have found my Tumblr account…girls don't like the feeling of competing against fan-art. The pressure of expectation is too demanding…"

Sanji gave him a skeptical expression. "I say anything and everything I can before I can get slapped. I think it's important that they know exactly what I think of them."

"I notice that you mentioned getting slapped as a regular thing, and that's _not_ normal." Law then frowned at him as he picked at the bent metal edges of his lockbox, Sanji looking concerned at this statement. "Anyway, what the hell are you doing snooping through my things, anyway?"

Sanji stared up at him for several moments, making Law uncomfortable. "I'm pretty sure I know what it is that intimidates women," he said slowly. "They don't know what to do with a pretty guy that has a face of a monster. You're also tall, but weakly skinny so you walk like that Groot thing Shachi showed me last night…like you're too tall for your legs to catch up. Everything about you is awkward. No one wants to date a lurpy tree of a man. Carry yourself with confidence, and that might change."

Law wasn't sure how to feel about that, looking puzzled.

"Are your eyes blue or grey? They change all the time. Do they switch depending on your power usage?"

"_I don't have_ \- ! They're grey, certain colors tend to change them. I like my eyes, don't even try to tell me I shouldn't. For Christ's sake, stop scrutinizing me."

"That insecurity makes you a victim! You shan't feel small and ugly when you've got such grand power. Hold yourself stiff and high, present yourself to the world as a strong man! It's embarrassing walking around with a guy that tries to pretend he isn't tall. If I had your height, I'd be unstoppable…"

"Well, you don't, you're a little man with an eyebrow problem. Look, what's with my clothes laying around? You've made a huge mess…"

Sanji then gestured at the pile of clothing he had neatly stacked nearby.

"I took it upon myself to assist with your appearance," he said grandly while Law cradled the lockbox to his chest. He frowned as Sanji spread different outfits over the bed, and lined them up with appropriate footwear. "It wasn't much, but these things I imagine that you should wear from now on to further punctuate your appearance as an intelligent foe."

"…_What_?"

"Here. This outfit screams to me – avenger!" Sanji said, pointing at a leather, multi-zippered jacket that didn't belong to Law – it was actually his neighbor's that he'd left at Law's apartment some time ago. It had been forgotten in the back of his closet when his neighbor moved away. It still had the smell of his cigarettes on it. It was layered over a black tank top and ratty jeans, with boots Law had only worn once. "Perfect for the moody attitude you carry. I noticed you have tattoos, why hide them? Show them off proudly for all the pain it's caused you."

"Sorry, but Jessica Jones and I had a conversation about this, and we both agreed that the look isn't for me."

"Is that your friend? Introduce me!"

"No, it's a show, that's the name of a character."

Sanji looked at him with pity. "It's sad that you only relate to fantasies and not an actual subject. No wonder you're single and alone."

_The misery I feel_ _right now_, Law thought with much angst, sure that this was the truest thing he'd ever heard within a few days.

Sanji then pointed at a crisp white collar shirt Law had bought for _Something Important_ – an occasion that never came up – with a black tie and black trousers that he'd worn to his job interview years ago. Sanji layered the leather jacket over that as well. "This is dashing and dangerous. Much like your breath after you return home from work."

Law couldn't help himself with licking the inside of his wrist and smelling the dried saliva there. He winced.

"And this one…" Sanji showed him a yellow shirt with a black hood, the sleeves stretched out and a thumbhole added in a fray of thread. That was settled over another pair of Law's jeans, with black boots that he'd also wore once and never wanted to again as the heels gave him a couple of extra inches. "This will go well with your hat. It gives off a Mad Hatter vibe, something that will instantly cause any one of us to think, _This man is mad for thinking that combination goes well together, therefore, he must be insane_."

_Like hell I'd wear that combination together_, Law thought.

"And this one!" Sanji gestured grandly at the last set, which made Law think Sanji preferred this. It was a black hoodie over black jeans, his boots added to the foot of those jeans, and the leather jacket layered over the outfit. "Black seems to suit your dark, bitter soul."

Law gave him a flat look. "Literally _none_ of those outfits are something I'd dare to wear."

"I'm saying that you should, you freak," Sanji muttered. "Because it's less insulting to me that you look the part, rather than…_that_…"

_That_ was a stretched t-shirt over loose jeans and ratty shoes. Law shrugged. "I'm comfortable in these."

"I'm saying if you wear this, it'll make your visage that much more intimidating. You have already gained the notice of Sora – "

"_Sora_?"

"Yes." Sanji scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "He spoke to me on your…cellphone."

Law gaped incredulously at him, patting his jeans pockets for his phone then realizing he didn't have it. Then he stared at Sanji a little longer. "Sora…Sora, my _hero_, my – _childhood hero_, he…_he_ called _my_ phone?"

"Yes," Sanji said tightly with annoyance. "We spoke. He knows I am here. With you."

Shaking hands to his head, Law found it unbelievable that Sora, _Warrior of the fucking Seas_, had called his cellphone. Had communicated through his own personal talking device to talk to Sanji. Sora _existed_. _Sora_ – the actual hero that Law's imagination had thrived upon. An actual human being that knew how telephones worked.

As frank as it sounded, as much as Sanji existed right in front of him, there was some doubt. There would always be some doubt until Law could actually see and smell and touch the actual man. His eyes glittered anyway. He raced to find his cellphone, and located the call history. Seeing the "Unknown" number had him nearly combusting. But he had to take this logically, he had to be careful – he could be easily lured into some sort of trap if he _believed_…

He inhaled through his nose and exhaled evenly, locking his phone. _Get it together, Trafalgar_, he told himself. _Remain calm. Remain transparent. Remain ice cold. Don't fall for an obvious trap_.

He turned to look at Sanji once he heard the prince approach him, holding the outfit he preferred Law to wear. The Jessica Jones set, but with the heeled boots.

"Sanji," he said, voice trembling a bit until he cleared his throat, "let's not hop into conclusions. You weren't contacted by any sort of video, were you?"

"…No."

"Was it actually his voice?"

"It was altered, but I know it was him," Sanji confirmed.

Disappointment hit Law like a cold shower. He deflated, shoving his phone into his back pocket. "Then we cannot absolutely think that it was Sora. Not unless it was him, that you recognize his voice and face as the real thing – "

"It was, I'm definitely sure of it!"

"It's easy to fake your way through a voice call, and you just said his voice was altered," Law stated firmly. "From now on, if this number calls you and claims to be Sora, I want you to disregard it. It's easy to fall into a trap this way. As gullible as you are – "

Sanji reddened, dropping the set of clothes.

" – I cannot risk you falling for every trap that presents itself to you along the way," Law said decisively. He gave Sanji a stern expression, hands on his hips. "Is this clear?"

Sanji stared up at him with bewilderment, outraged that this commoner would speak this way to him, but at the same time worm his way through Sanji's common sense.

'…_If you have to question yourself over whether you should or should not, pay attention to that. Doubt leaves you open to new possibilities_…'

Despite what Law was telling him, it was good advice. He gave a reluctant scowl, crossing his arms with petulant action. Nodding because it was apparent that this obnoxious prince was going to heed his advice, Law let his disappointment go.

"Now then, kindly clean up the mess you made. I'm not wearing that stuff, it's not my style, I don't care what it appears to you," Law then said, straightening his coffee table and picking up his bags. "After we've straightened up the place, let us ready ourselves to find something to eat."

"Don't you have to _work_, peasant?"

"It's a Saturday, I do not, you haughty snob. As it's a weekend, it's fine. If anything, we should continue focusing on how to get you home." Law was stumped on actually _how_, but he was sure with how hectic things had been that something would present itself soon. "After that, we can walk the streets to see if we capture anyone's attention. Please take your suit with you. We might run into actual heroes."

Sanji brightened up at the thought and hurried off to complete the task. Law looked after him in bewilderment, then decided to let it go. _Who knew that the third Vinsmoke prince was an eager to please dude_? he thought skeptically. The few panels that Sanji actually starred in didn't depict this much depth. But what Law learned now was making his head spin.

He ended up looking at the abandoned outfit glumly. Considering what he'd done with taming both a villainous prince and a possible world threat, maybe he should dress the part…

Hours later, he was holding onto a venti cup and wishing someone would kill him soon. He was exhausted, physically and mentally, as Sanji demanded answers to _everything_. The chill of the day left Law shivering in the outfit Sanji had picked out for him.

_Unpractical_! his mind scolded him as the tank top barely withstood the chill and the boots left his feet aching.

He wearing his old frames, so his vision was a little off but every time Sanji looked at him, he wore such a disgusted frown that he avoided looking at Law to speak to him. So he addressed everything _but_ Law while he wandered around in someone's old white prom jacket over a tightly buttoned blue shirt and some white trousers with stripes on the side, clothes he'd found at the thrift store the other night. He looked like a teenager that had wandered away from his school's dance and it was almost embarrassing but he looked so proud that Law just left it alone.

_Almost like a toddler that dresses himself_, Law thought wearily. _And I feel every inch the exhausted parent chasing after him. Remind me to schedule a vasectomy_….

"This world caters to fools," Sanji declared, watching as people argued with a taxi driver that yelled back at them. "Everyone is so eager to fight each other over absolutely _nothing_."

"Wow, it's such an opposite effect from your world," Law commented sarcastically.

"But we're looking to dominate and oppress," Sanji pointed out. "Conquer lands to rule – everyone here argues just to argue."

"This is normal."

"It's so stupid."

"Much like this conversation."

Sanji looked bored, the taxi driver darting forward, nearly hitting the pedestrians yelling at him. With a squeal of tires, the vehicle lurched away and the others walked off. "To think I was sent here with the intention of being removed from violence just to walk about in the middle of it…"

"What did that guy say, anyway? The faker over the phone?"

"It's not a – " Sanji cut himself off hastily then said, "Not much."

Law looked at him with interest. "What were you going to say?"

"_Nothing_."

"Is this part of the secret you're hiding from everyone else? You know something, and you're just not telling me."

"Stop climbing into my mind! I won't allow you to force me to release the secret I've been holding onto!" Sanji cried, hands to his head to block him out as a couple of people looked over. Law sipped at his drink while rolling his eyes. But he was going to use this opportunity.

"Whatever, Sanji," he muttered. "So far, I've learned that you're an unmodified failure who gets his rocks off with thinking that holding hands with a woman is the epitome of pleasure. You know nothing about basic health and sex education, so I'm thinking that this secret you're holding? Isn't that big of a secret at all. Your foundation in holding tightly onto the secret suggests that Sora is a closer figure to you than your father wanted you to know. Perhaps it's Sora's DNA that was used to create you kids because Sora is of superhuman, or possibly modified himself, and you kids reflect that. You accidently found out that Sora is your actual father."

Sanji frowned at him, tapping his fingers together.

"We fans understand that this is something of the fact that Sora can't truly fight against you guys, and this is the only theory that's sound. This is your secret. It's not much of a secret once I say it aloud. Really, what's Garuda going to do about that? Have the case taken before the high court in order to evade sharing custody or paying any sort of child support?"

Sanji's frown intensified. But he said, "If this secret was released, it would mean the end of many things."

"So…you're on Sora's side…?"

"No."

Law waited for him to expand on it, Sanji looking reluctantly into the distance.

"I have come to a decision," he decided heavily while Law attempted to draw up the collar of his tank top, the hard lines of his tattoos visible. "You aren't as innocent as you present yourself to be. You are a shrewd, inventive man with a peculiar ability to twist the truth out of someone's unconscious, to render them shaking and weak. You have strong mind abilities, and therefore, you are a spy from our world to try and shake the truth from me while reporting back to your boss from that world. _Therefore_…"

Sanji grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, intending on a show of force. But all Law had to do was rise on his tiptoes to accommodate the effort. He sipped at his drink while Sanji released him with a frustrated curse.

"AGH! It's so _unfair_! Take off those boots!"

"Release the secret to me, Sanji," Law ordered flatly, not putting any mood into it, "and no one gets hurt."

Primly, Sanji clasped the lapels of his jacket together and shivered. "I'm slowly melting into a defeated state! Will I be found before I am forced to release my most powerful secret? Where does my loyalty stand?"

The dramatics were giving Law a headache. But his eyes were also tired and strained, so he removed his glasses to rub at them while Sanji fretted.

"_Father_! I am here if you are looking for me! Am I not worthy enough to be saved?"

Law ignored that pitiful cry to the sky, people passing by them with barely a glance. But a homeless man lounging against a corner of a building across the sky shouted out "_hallelujah_!" in response to Sanji's shout.

He took a seat on a nearby bench, sighing with relief. He was so tired, closing his eyes briefly for some respite. When he opened them, he gave a startled cry as he realized Sanji was _thisclose_ to his face, peering into his eyes with suspicion.

"They're blue! They switched color because your abilities are at work!" Sanji accused him, grabbing his jacket. "How about if I remove them for my safety?"

"Sanji, for Christ's sake, I can't help the color of my eyes! Get off!" Law struggled against the man's unnatural strength, whose hands were curled into the lapels of his jacket again. Thinking that he wouldn't have a chance to defend himself against those hands, quite sure he was going to have his eyes clawed out, he leaned forward and licked Sanji's face. The man reacted with a cry, lurching backward to escape him. He ended up slamming against a parked car, denting the metal. Law caught his breath, adjusted his glasses and sat up, grateful that he hadn't spilled his coffee.

Once again in a morose pose, Sanji braced himself against the sidewalk. Law sipped at his drink and watched him with amusement, crossing one ankle over a knee. For a moment, he felt pretty powerful for felling a superhuman villain with just a lick. He wondered what else he could do with his newly discovered abilities…unfortunately, his mind turned back to bad doujinshi scenes once more, and he had to quickly shake his head of _those_.

But he did feel a little more assertive, straightening up with some confidence. He wondered if he should invest in some contacts to complete the image…

"Life is meaningless," Sanji murmured, the picture of angst while passerby glanced at him. "I am an unworthy foe…mangled and beaten, defeated by someone I'd underestimated…however will I hold my head high again? Perhaps you should just do away with me to save me the shame of looking into my father's eyes with pride…"

"Oh, cut it out. I just licked you. You were trying to remove my eyes."

Sanji clasped a hand to his face, rubbing pitifully. "I bear the mark of shame…"

Phone ringing, Law pulled it out from his jacket pocket, watching Sanji continue to angst away on the sidewalk. Seeing the Unknown number, Law rolled his eyes. Perhaps he could get the proper answers in determining this mysterious person.

"Speak," he demanded, drink to his lips moments later.

"Trafalgar Law," came the answer, and Law immediately detected the mechanical alteration of it. He narrowed his eyes in response. "So, it has come to this."

_Jesus, this is ridiculous_, Law thought, subtly glancing around him. _Someone is just fucking with the both of us, assuming the position of someone I obviously admire. Maybe another enemy, someone similar to Teach if not Teach_.

"What has?" he answered smoothly. He wasn't going to let this person roll all over him. He had some time to entertain.

"Somehow, in just a few days, you've reduced the third Vinsmoke son to a mere shell of himself."

"I do what I want," Law answered, glancing over at Sanji once more. He was slowly picking himself up, brushing himself off. "Serves him right for interfering with my life."

"You are more cold hearted than I'd imagined upon first glance."

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

"I had thought that he'd be safe in the hands of someone unassuming, but I was incorrect."

"Listen here, '_Sora'_," Law said sarcastically, coating the name with so much derision that it was plainly obvious he wasn't taking the conversation seriously. "That's what you get for making stupid assumptions. You have no one to blame but yourself for this. Without you here to do anything about it, the third Vinsmoke prince is mine to control. It's too bad you sent him out without proper guidance because he seems to be falling very easily under my grasp. I will return him to you, ruined and ravaged, after I'm through with him."

The low gasp of shock from the other end caused Law to furrow his brow. It was almost…feminine. Sanji wandered over with a pout once he saw that Law's attention was not on him. Law held a finger up to signal that he'd get to him in a moment, and Sanji only acquiesced because he had more to say, but only without distractions. So he huffed and crossed his arms, waiting impatiently.

"It is heartbreaking to see him, once so full of life, easily controlled by just a gesture! You'll regret this," the caller vowed angrily, causing Law to glance about again. He couldn't see anyone with a cellphone, nor any cameras that had been hacked into. But he resumed his expression of indifference and wondered how much longer this _loser_ had to pretend.

"Yeah, yeah, take your place in line," Law answered. He hung up, rolling his eyes, Blocking the number from anymore harassment. He shoved his phone back into his jacket pocket and looked at Sanji once more. "Now what?"

"Who was that?"

"Credit Card scam. Look," Law rose from the bench, tossing his empty cup into the nearby trash can. "Most of the mystery was figured out. Sora sent you here because of the mysterious secret you carry – he intended on protecting you this way. Unfortunately, we don't know if your father is looking for you if Sora alone carries the technology that Teach mentioned. Maybe it's for the best…?"

"No," Sanji said stubbornly, eyes dropping to Law's chest to avoid any more eye contact. He refused to be manipulated anymore by this man! "I believe my father is looking for me. I am as valuable as the others. After all, no one can do stealth like I. Ichiji wants to be seen to be feared, Yonji can't physically tiptoe to save his life and Niji enjoys the flashy side of life."

"You're only stealth because your father doesn't want to see you, and this was the only polite way about it," Law pointed out, bending to try to catch his eyes. Sanji turned his head this way and that, Law following until giving up. "You've mentioned a few times that he called you a failure. Why allow someone to reduce you to that sort of insecurity?"

Stubbornly, Sanji answered, "I am willing to prove myself to gain his favor. That's how we were raised."

"You're…how old now? And you still haven't gained his favor?"

"It's a difficult task, and father enjoys competitions," Sanji said. "_I_ enjoy competitions myself. This is fine."

"At this point in life, it's best to let go and move on." Law caught his face between his two hands, forcing Sanji to look at him. Sanji squeezed his eyes shut. Law wanted to laugh but he somehow held it in with a cough. "You can be so much better than you think without the weight of that useless effort holding you back."

"I will be the very best no matter what!"

Law tried not to complete that Pokemon theme but the jingle ran through his thoughts anyway.

"You can be the _very_ best," he agreed smoothly, "but until Teach lets us know how it was done, or until Sora himself arrives, you will remain here. So maybe it's best that you explore this world until that happens. Use it to your advantage. You had plans to take notes for your father, why don't you do that?"

Sanji wrenched his head away from Law's grasp, then looked at him fitfully. "So my father can invade this place?"

"He can try," Law said skeptically. "But I doubt it could happen. _Sora_ wouldn't let it happen."

"I'll prove you wrong. When he takes me back, I'll tell him _everything_ about this puny world! Then we will come back, and I will use your head as my own personal flag! You will forever gaze upon the destruction we wrought upon your land while I victoriously weld it in battle!"

Law looked at him skeptically, nonplused. "Before or after you hold hands with your wife?"

Stumped, Sanji deliberated this thoughtfully.

Rolling his eyes, Law turned away from him. "I'm tired. And hungry. Let's go eat."

"Can I cook something?"

"Will it make you happy?"

Sanji considered this carefully, then nodded. "As happy as I can be in this hell."

"You know what…? _Fine_. Groceries first, fast food for me, then you can spend the rest of the weekend doing whatever you want. I don't care. I just want to go to sleep."

Despite himself, Sanji ecstatically followed after him. Catching sight of his joyous expression in the reflection of the window nearby, Law couldn't help but think, _God, I want to eat him up. If only I were a carnivore_…

: :

He ended up changing his mind hours later. He somehow managed to get his apartment door open, legs shaking as he somehow managed to hold onto the grocery bags _and_ onto the sleeping prince on his back.

_Unbelievable_! he thought furiously while Sanji snored at his shoulder, arms loosely tied around Law's neck while Law supported him feebly with one arm. _I'm not a damn pack mule_!

He dropped all the bags onto the floor, kicked the door shut and nearly tripped against the coffee table before clumsily dumped Sanji onto the couch. He only rolled over as Law did the night before and continued snoring while Law rubbed his shins painfully. Sweating, shaking and absurdly weak, Law caught his breath. Somehow he had done that. Somehow he'd walked four blocks with this full grown man on his back and, well, managed the elevator with all the groceries he carried. Where was this strength coming from?

Wearily, he lugged the groceries into the kitchen, unpacked, and swiped a water from the fridge to rehydrate. He only turned on the light above the stove for visibility, the rest of his apartment cast in complete darkness. Once that was completed, he ended up looking at Sanji as he slept peacefully on the couch. Law wandered over to glare down at him, tempted to over tip the water bottle onto his face.

But…that sleeping expression of Sanji's was just so…! All his _moe_ filled him up as he found himself unable to carry out the act. There was just something so damned adorable about that defenseless face that Law found it difficult to think any worse of him.

Law's heart filled with warmth as his expression cheered. "Sleep well, little demon," he whispered. How could someone who looked so _cute_ be so damned irritating when they were awake? He assumed this was how parents looked down at the babies that kept them up at night. "Your demise for your actions will come at another time, I swear it."

He capped his water bottle and turned to head to his bedroom, to change into more comfortable clothes. His feet were killing him.

He stopped short once he recognized that they weren't alone. The tall, foreboding shadow figure standing in the hallway facing him was definitely a person. His fingers clenched onto his water bottle with startled fright.

The man was tall, wearing something that clinked ever so slightly as they used the shadow of the hallway to hide under. He seemed to be wearing a cape, because it fluttered ever so slightly at his booted ankles.

"Trafalgar Law," the voice said venomously, and it sent ripples of fear down Law's spine. _This wasn't Teach_. Stepping out into the warmth of the light, the figure showed himself.

Law's eyes widened ever so slightly as his heart skipped several beats in a row.

"_Sora_," he whispered tightly. His voice was strangled by the very emotion of awe and disbelief, so he couldn't speak anything more than a constricted murmur.

His breath stopped in his throat as that familiar tight, rigid face came into view. The clean lines of Sora's uniform glittered from the faint light coming from the stove. That stern face looked like it was cast from absolute stone, unwavering with expression. In fact, the longer Law stared the more it felt like a mask to him.

So his joy was quickly doused. Why would Sora wear a mask? In the comics, his face easily made different expressions. He was human there – this – well, it looked like plastic. Law sighed heavily, wiping his forehead. His hair clung to his face and forehead like moss with all the sweat that dried there. This man before him was nothing more than a weirdo who somehow found out that Sanji was staying here. Some cosplaying freak of nature that was most likely behind the weird phone calls. Law wasn't sure how to call 911 without looking obvious about it.

"How did you get in here?" he asked impatiently.

Taking a few steps closer, Sora stood before him. He forced Law to look up – which irritated him. "I will not take your threats so lightly, Trafalgar. I've come to correct what I've done."

_He's wearing some sort of voice alteration device_, Law noticed, furrowing his brow. He caught the collar peeking just underneath the collar of the man's cape. It almost made sense that this was how Sora spoke with such a weird modification on the phone. The design of the outfit, combined with the mask and voice change device was quite deliberate. But why alter the voice…?

"You're taking Sanji home with you?" Law asked skeptically, uncapping his water to drink again. Gesturing with it, he said, "Be my guest. Dude's been nothing but trouble. You see _that_ earlier? He made me carry him because he was tired and there was no _cat cart_ around to do so. What bullshit is that?"

"The third Vinsmoke prince might be a handful, but he's - !" Sora closed his mouth tightly. Law had to remove his glasses for a better look but he was quite certain "Sora" wore some type of plastic mask that stiffened his features to look intense. He adjusted his glasses back into place.

"Whatever. Whoever you are, your costume…" Law _tsk_ed, shaking his head as he looked the man over. "It's _almost_ cool. But your belt is all wrong, the metal should be facing the other way, not... And your face – like, could you have picked out the worst mask available? It's obvious you're wearing a mask. I can see your features underneath it, and it's…Strangers in the Night creepy rather than intimidating. And that hat is…it _almost_ looks like you glued someone's taxidermy project onto a trucker cap. This is lame."

Sora's frown deepened, but he dropped his head to look down at himself. "I'm aware that we appear differently to you people," he said slowly, "but I assure you, I am the real thing."

"Prove it."

Sora looked startled, but he gestured at himself grandly. Law shook his head again. "Nah. _Fake_. You're still a fake. Do something incredible and I might believe you."

"I don't have time to stand here and prove myself to you," Sora snapped at him, cape flicking as he turned away from Law and headed over to Sanji. Fearing that this imposter was going to do something weird to him, Law quickly inserted himself between them. Sora stopped short just to avoid bumping into him. That expression of his grew deadly.

"Leave him alone, he just fell asleep. You wake him up before I'm recharged, and I'll kill you," Law commanded.

_Both of them were speaking in whispers_, Law realized. It was kind of pitiful to understand that both of them were considerate of the demon to do so.

Sora looked at him awkwardly, blinking repeatedly. Then he snarled – as loud as he could in a whisper – "What did you do to him, monster?"

"What did _I_ do - ? No, ask yourself, what did _he_ do? Have you ever taken care of a Vinsmoke prince?"

Sora faltered ever so slightly as Law spoke resentfully.

"They're demanding, rude, bossy, and have a million questions to everything! Plus, he runs about like a goddamn toddler, interested in flirting with anything with mammaries, _then_ he demands stupid shit of me all day, like accusing me of mind powers when I don't even have any - !"

"Despite their reputation, they are not animals," Sora stressed. "Talking of them like they are troublesome speaks levels of your management abilities."

"I am a hard working _adult_. This is a hard working _child_ in a man's body," Law stressed back. "So if you wake him up before I am ready, I will ruin you."

"_Oh_?" Sora asked, towering over him. "And how would you do that? I will not allow you to harm him any further than you have, magician."

Law narrowed his eyes. He didn't know what this man was capable of. He could be packing a knife or gun for all Law knew, or some crazy martial arts abilities. None of which Law had a defense over. _But_ – he had to get this crazy weirdo out of his apartment before Sanji woke up and put more holes into his home.

_Sanji and Teach accused me of using words to force insecurity into them_, he thought pensively, _I should do the same_ _here to knock the act out of him_. _I'm going to use the topic of Sora being his relative in order to fell him. If this man is a fan, he'll go along with it and I can use that act to mock him into shameful admittance that he is only an act. If he isn't, he'll prove me wrong and therefore, cause a scene that will prove he is _not_ Sora_…

Law gestured at the kitchen. "In the fridge, there is a dish sitting in there that Sanji made. If you can identify it, eat it, and withstand its effects on your body afterward, then, hey, go ahead and take a seat and wait for him to wake up."

Sora stared at him with bewilderment. He tilted his head. "Why would I do that?"

"Because," Law took a drink of his water before answering, "I'll only allow close those who know these secrets as a potential accomplice. After all…I don't know if you're intending on killing him or saving him. Only one with the true potential will know exactly what I'm speaking of."

Sora blinked. He glanced sideways at Sanji with something that looked like worry, then looked to Law. "I don't have to do that."

"Then it's a shame," Law stated firmly, "that you can't even honor his eager whims like a reasonable person. You're just like Garuda. Glorifying him for only what he was birthed to do and not what he really wants to do."

Sora froze, staring at him tightly.

Sanji snored noisily, then shifted about on the couch. Curling into a slight fetal position, he hugged himself lightly. Law saw this and reluctantly took off his jacket. He laid it over him then turned to face Sora once more.

"I…" Sora trailed off, looking lost for words. "It was necessary – "

"Was it?" Law snapped. "Was it necessary to abandon your own children to a man that bred them to be something as terrible as this? Look at them, now! You think you can reach them after what Garuda has done to them? You disgust me."

Sora's fingers lifted to his mouth, trembling a bit.

_Okay, apparently, this guy is in on the fan theory_, Law concluded. He narrowed his eyes. "You don't deserve him."

Sora looked over the sleeping prince once more, blinking rapidly. Law couldn't believe how far this weirdo was taking it. He crossed his arms stiffly.

"_Get out_," he then ordered. "Or I will inform the world that you contributed to Garuda's sick project without a look back to understand what you have done. You want that…Sora?"

"_No_," Sora whispered fretfully. He took a few steps forward with an anxious gesture of his hands. "But - ! I'd like to take him back with me. Lure Teach back, as well, so that no harm will come of this world."

"Then take me with you," Law decided, hands on his hips. "Show me that this is a real thing."

"And have you cast your mysterious power upon those that are weaker than you? Manipulating them into doubting themselves?" Sora's teeth grit. "Sanji was right about you. I'm angry at myself for thinking differently."

Law smirked at him, crossing his arms over his chest. "Once you abandon me, Sanji will return home with his new doubt and insecurity. He's revealed little of what his father already thinks of him – now that he believes in what I have to say, what do you think it'll do to Sanji there? He'll approach Garuda with the new concept that he isn't worthy, and Garuda will lash out to punish him for it. Can you live with that on your hands?"

Sora gasped low, looking at him with horror. Then he looked to Sanji, hands fretting in a familiar gesture. "If you should go back with us, you'll be missed here."

"I only want to be proven that this world is true," Law said with a shrug. "Sightsee. Otherwise, I'd like to return to this one to resume living the rest of my life comfortable with what I know."

Sora considered this with a pensive expression. _That mask was really distracting_, Law realized. It looked like a thin, plastic layer that allowed his features to stand out but shifted and bunched it in a way that seemed to distort what he truly looked like. After a few moments, Sora held out a hand. Wearing a doubting expression, Law took it.

The strength of that man's fingers nearly crushed Law's, but he refused to show it.

_Piss test, piss test_, he told himself, schooling his features.

"_Just_ to sightsee," Sora agreed stoically. "Then you'll return here, removing your spell from Sanji so that he'll regain his confidence and remain…as he was."

"You want him to remain as he was? Or with the hope that he can be something better?" Law asked curiously. "You must really hate him to hope for the former rather than the latter."

Sora looked like he'd been struck. "Your words, magician, hurt deep."

_Whatever_, Law thought with a blank expression.

"I'll come back after locating Teach. Be prepared," Sora then said, striding away from him. He opened up the front door, looking at Sanji with regret before closing it softly behind him.

In the silence of the apartment, Law rolled his eyes. He locked the door with both locks then set his desk chair up against it.

_Fucking weirdo_, he thought, retreating to his room.

* * *

**A/N:** please understand this is only a silly story – no way could life hovering on the thread of reality and fantasy be that easy to walk XD

**Naghi-Tan**: He doesn't realize how much responsibility he's holding XD he keeps making it worse for himself lol

**Guest**: that side of Law is peeking out! Unfortunately, he has no idea he's making himself out into being a scary opponent to both sides. And all he's doing is _talking_! XD


	11. Chapter 11

**: : 11**

Law awoke to the sound of far off noises. Blearily he opened his eyes, registering that his entire body was sore from that small adventure earlier. He turned his head just in time to see Sanji push forward a strip of cloth towards his face. Law made to react, moving back but his entire body locked up. Once Sanji wrapped the strip of cloth around his eyes with a firm tightening of a knot, Law realized that his hands, legs and ankles were bound tightly together.

"_What the fuck_," he exclaimed, jerking his head about. The cloth smelled like Sanji's cigarettes and body odor. "_What the hell are you doing_?"

"I can't do this any longer," Sanji said with resolve, looking at his work. He'd used his restraints from his suit belt to make sure Law was bound firmly, as well as his kerchief to tie around the older man's eyes. He was quite positive this human being couldn't break the restraints meant for a superhuman, but he checked them just in case as Law thrashed about. "I need my own mind back. We are going to leave this place – "

"Wait a minute, moron!" Law snapped at him. "I just spoke - !"

His words were muffled as Sanji applied something that tasted like cloth against his mouth. In horror, Law shouted but it was nothing more than a sound. He thrashed about wildly, but Sanji only had to pin him down with a push of his hand. Law began to sweat nervously, finding it entirely uncomfortable to breathe as his mind raced with frightened horror and anxiety.

"This didn't have to happen," Sanji told him, sitting up on his knees, "but you forced the issue. I realized I was being sucked in too far into your fantasy world. I started believing in your words. The loss of my security was too much to bear. I needed my mind back. I need to think clearly. I couldn't do that with you yapping into both of my ears."

Law tried working the cloth out of his mouth, but whatever it was was strapped tightly up against the corners of his lips and growing uncomfortably wet with his saliva. He felt like choking – weak gag reflex. He uttered a long growl, kicking his feet once more then growing tired from the effort.

Sanji gave a reluctant sigh, climbing off the bed. "Now…"

Law heard him transform back into Stealth Black. He wheezed with effort as he struggled to adjust his position to where it was more comfortable.

"You're going to need these," he heard Stealth Black mutter, mainly to himself. Law was startled to feel his boots being shoved onto his feet and adjusted to fit. Then, he felt himself being picked up and tossed over one bony shoulder. It made him grunt as he involuntarily folded in half. He made to kick and struggle before Stealth Black slapped him on the ass, mortification causing him to release an undignified squeal.

"_Behave_," Stealth Black admonished. "We're going on a small trip. I'm going to find Teach, and together, we'll work our way back to our world. I'll allow him to take us prisoner – on the promise that he can absorb your powers instead."

_I don't have any powers_! Law shouted, but it was only garbled noise. Movement forced him to cease, focused on breathing comfortably as he was maneuvered carefully through the doorway, head scraping against the walls.

"Sorry," Stealth Black apologized. "But it's not my fault you're the size of a small oak tree."

The front door was opened and both of them maneuvered out. Then Stealth Black stilled very suddenly, Law's heart pounding as he wondered why the pause. His head was filling with blood, making him feel woozy.

"What…what'cha got there, kid?" Dadan asked curiously as Law squealed with mortification.

"None of your business, miss," Stealth Black replied haughtily. "Think of it as a game we play."

Law shook his head furiously, the heaviness of that suggestion filling him with mortified rage.

He heard Dadan clear her throat with discomfort. "_Oh_. Okay. Well…keep it down, eh? None of us wanna hear that crap. Trafalgar. This is surprising. It's _always_ the quiet ones…"

Law gave an unwelcome noise, kicking his feet uselessly.

Stealth Black gripped him tightly. "I'm taking this elsewhere."

"Hey, kid," Dadan spoke up as they began moving away. "That…that costume, is that…something you can buy from a nearby shop."

_Noooooooo_ Law cried internally, unwelcome visions hitting his overactive imagination.

"_No_!" Stealth Black snapped at her. "This was custom made for me."

"Well. Have…have a good night."

Law could feel her judging stare following after them, and he could only shake his head, garbled noises leaving him as Stealth Black strode off with confidence. Law only hoped someone could stop them as Stealth Black took the elevator down to the first floor. He kicked and flopped in an effort to escape, but the Germa Prince's arms were secure around him.

"It didn't have to come to this," Stealth Black said low as the elevator rumbled slowly. "There could have been easier ways but I can risk no more chances with you. I only am grateful that you allowed me this much – it has been interesting, but it's time for me to return home."

Law tried to inform him about Sora, but the garbled noises were something that Stealth Black could not understand. He patted the taller man's thighs with reassurance, then strode through the lobby of the building. People lingering about near their mail boxes or making small conversation with each other barely looked up. Once outside, Stealth Black strode towards the direction of the building Teach had taken Law the first time. People glanced at him, then performed double takes but because he was "in costume" and this was a city whose people basically ignored each other, he wasn't stopped.

Law thought that it couldn't get any worse than this. Morosely, he relaxed, trying to think of some way to escape this humiliation. He took back all the positive thoughts he had about Sanji.

"Hey!" someone called out, causing him to tense. The voice was familiar, so Law's head perked up. Stealth Black paused in mid step. "What the hell are you doing?"

"You shall not stop me," Stealth Black said with determination, arms tightening around Law. "I have a plan to return home."

From the short panting and the approach of multiple feet, Law realized that it was Penguin. The smell of food wafted up to him, stomach gurgling noisily.

"Law," he heard Bepo say with concern, bag rattled, "is this okay? Are you okay? You don't look okay…"

Law snapped at him.

"This is sorta kinky," Shachi commented, mouth full. He gave a sputter of a laugh. "It's kinda sad how nobody is paying attention to this, freak."

"Any attempts to stop me will end in your death!"

"Yeah, yeah, calm down."

"We brought over dinner," Penguin said. "Pizza."

"What is that?" Stealth Black asked curiously, Law finding it _unbelievable_ that these people would not help him. There was an opening of a cardboard box, and Stealth Black's tone changed. "Oh, that looks interesting! What does it taste like?"

"Here, have a bite."

_Are you _feeding_ him_? Law asked incredulously, attempting to rise up to look in the direction of Penguin's voice.

"Hmf. Amazing," he heard Stealth Black said, mouth full. "That is an unusual combination of tastes!"

"Yeah, hey, try the chicken wings. Oh, here, I'll get a napkin…"

Law thrashed wildly.

"Oh, wait, so…Law? You didn't consent?" Shachi asked sarcastically, still chewing on something. "This isn't something that you two normally do? I'm starting to get confused on what's the real deal, here."

"Here, let me help you," Bepo offered, warm fingers at the gag around Law's mouth but suddenly Stealth Black was moving. From the feel of gravity, Law realized with horror that Stealth Black had taken to the sky. He heard the surprised shouts from his friends.

"_How the hell did you do that_?" Shachi cried.

"Whoooo! So you _can_ fly!" Penguin yelled merrily.

"Sanji! Be careful!" Bepo called with concern. Someone honked on the street, and the sounds became distant as Stealth Black began moving through the open air. There was a tremendous crash of sound and a hard landing, Law grunting as his legs and upper half crashed together against Stealth Black's form. He felt like puking but before he could, he was hauled down onto a sturdy surface. Set aside carefully as the sound of Stealth Black's boots squeaked from one direction to the other.

Utterly helpless, Law sat there with an uncomfortably wet chin. He gave a morose sound, hanging his head as he strained his ears to hear what it was Stealth Black was doing.

"His home is here," he heard him say a distance away. "For here is his things. But it looks like a battle had erupted. It is thrashed. And there are many lights in the distance."

_Sora had found Teach_, Law realized. The thunder of excitement in that caused his breath to catch, but he shook his head. He had to remain calm. That person _wasn't_ Sora. Not without absolute proof!

Stealth Black walked over to him, examining his restraints with testing action. After some consideration, he removed the kerchief from Law's eyes. Blinking, Law realized that this was the same floor Teach had taken him that night, and it was thrashed. A mighty battle had happened, and he gaped with awe. The walls had punch holes in them, ravaged by blackened stains. All the windows were broken or missing. Teach's things were strewn all about. Stealth Black pulled on his kerchief, adjusting his goggles right after.

"Perhaps I should investigate for myself. You'll be safe here," he told Law sternly. "You'll remain here if you know what's best for you."

Law stared at him bitterly, uttering a growl. Stealth Black wagged a finger at him.

"Now, now, peasant. You'll be grateful for how well I've treated you. I could have been worse."

Part of the wall shattered nearby, and Stealth Black reacted by shielding Law with his own body as debris rained over them. It still made Law feel odd that this man would make such an effort despite himself. Once the noise ceased, Teach lay there on his back in t-pose, wearing the efforts of a hard fight. Sora straightened up from the window, looking over at the pair of them. He visibly brightened as he strode over, swiping glass and dust from his shoulders.

Stealth Black reacted with a gasp, straightening away from Law. "YOU! You are responsible for this mess! _Sora_!"

Sora looked quite intimidating at that moment – only because he was in the same condition as Teach. His uniform smoked faintly as he adjusted his face.

No…mask. He adjusted his mask.

"Stealth Black." Sora addressed Sanji from a few feet away, hands on his hips while Stealth Black settled into a defensive pose. Sora then noticed that Law was sitting there, bound and gagged. "What are you doing with him?"

"He is my captive," Stealth Black said shortly. "Father will be pleased to see this alien. He could study him, take from him any interesting use of him. His powers are limitless."

"Yes," Sora murmured thoughtfully, giving Law an indecisive look as Law struggled to tell them that _he did not have any powers_. "Well, I cannot allow you to do that."

"You'll send us back the same way you forced me here," Stealth Black told him. "I need to return home. If not for the sake of returning home, but to prevent father from finding me here. This world is weak and stupid – easy to fall. _Germa 66_ will conquer it. Fortunately, that can be prevented if I am returned."

Law furrowed his brow. That wasn't what Stealth Black had told him earlier. But he wondered if he was just threatening Sora with the possibility.

Sora just looked at Stealth Black with indifference. Law found it funny that Sora stood before Stealth Black like some judging parent. Then he shook his head. _No_. This wasn't Sora. He uttered some noises, causing the man to look at him with concern.

"You've made your captor quite uncomfortable," he stated.

"If I remove that gag, he will surely unleash the worst," Stealth Black said with worry. "He is my prisoner. I will take him with me."

"Oh?"

"No one will miss him. He's just a peasant."

"Stealth Black," Sora returned patiently, "human beings are human beings. Put yourself into his place."

"LOOK AT ME NOW, BASTARD!" Stealth Black yelled at him.

Sora looked sheepish, hands fretting. Law just looked at him with puzzled action, because how could his hero be so…timid? But the way Stealth Black addressed him, the way they spoke so easily to each other…it caused his heart to drop.

_He'd just threatened and intimidated his childhood hero_.

Law's eyes widened with such bold intensity that it hurt. He couldn't breathe. His heart stopped in midbeat. He'd just added to this madness by the things he'd said to Sora.

To _Sora_. His _hero_. He had all his figurines, drew him in action poses, admired and worshipped him. And Law had talked to him like he was just another weirdo on the streets.

Law was going to _die_. He was sure of it. He felt like he was frothing at the mouth in distress, but he just wasn't sure. He had to fix this. Had to tell Sora he was _so sorry_. He began moving, struggling to find energy and strength to stand. Stealth Black's boot settled against the back of his head and forced him back to the floor in a bowing position.

"Stop moving, scum," Stealth Black threatened him.

"Stealth Black," Sora interrupted. "Perhaps releasing him would make him more comfortable. I have come to take you both back with me. This was a mistake on my part. I hadn't calculated on Teach's arrival. I only wanted you here."

"_Why_?" Stealth Black demanded of him, keeping Law's head to the floor. "What was the point of that stupid mistake? How could you do this?"

"I did it because…I thought it could save you," Sora confessed. "You surely know of the spoilers that were released this week, yes?"

Law realized he hadn't even had time to check on them. But he heard Stealth Black's slow exhale of admittance.

"I did," he mumbled. "But that details the future, and…our time isn't – according to the runes, it is but years away. Surely things will change before that."

"I'm afraid not," Sora said gently. "These things that are written as our future, well, they're based on the truth. Every nuance of it. From what you've been shown in the issues from their past, it tells you that much…? All your thoughts, all your intentions, have been drawn and printed and you can admit that it is the truth."

Law heard Stealth Black give a grumble.

"Even if you should return," Sora continued, "and tell Garuda of this…he won't believe it. He'll think you're mad. When we return, you may do your best to present your…prisoner as whatever you will. I have faith in that Garuda will not consider it a high and mighty opportunity. He is very skeptic."

"I could just tell my father of what you've done," Stealth Black replied haughtily.

Sora smiled gently. "You may. But do you really think he'd stretch that far as to forget our agreement?"

Stealth Black frowned heavily, considering the possibilities. Law watched them both. He was detecting all the truths to crazy fan theories in just this one encounter. The way Sora looked upon Stealth Black was affectionate – the way Stealth Black addressed him was definitely telling that he kept _this_ secret to high confidentiality. It was _confirmed_. Sora was the Vinsmoke kids' father. Law nearly had a heart attack with this revelation.

He had so many questions.

"After all, I think it may benefit you, in the end, that you're able to come back here."

Stealth Black looked at him sharply, Law doing the same. Sora wore such a desperate expression, full of compassion and empathy. At that moment, Law would give anything to see the spoilers.

Sora drew in a deep breath. "This will work out, Stealth Black. Consider my offer. I will give you two days' time to show your guest around the area. On the condition…"

Sora was addressing Law, now, looking at him sternly. "That _he_ behaves himself as well."

Without even considering the possibilities, the immensity of this situation, Law only nodded frantically in agreement. Stealth Black gave him a bitter look.

"But…won't this interfere with some continuity here?"

"It won't," Sora assured him. "Because Teach here is an indication of that. He exists from our world but has not been introduced to theirs within their books. Trafalgar can visit our world, and no one will believe his tale once he returns. After all, he's just a _fanboy_."

Law felt his cheeks warm with some sheepish embarrassment. No one took him seriously when he began talking about his fandom – for Sora to take advantage of this, to say it out loud…well…it knocked some holes in his walls.

Teach uttered a low groan from behind them, drawing their attention towards him. Stalking towards him, Sora snapped out a hand, revealing an oblong device hidden underneath his sleeve. It glowed a neon violet color, flashing.

"Come along, Stealth Black, if you want to return home," Sora then boomed in an authoritive tone, softness gone. After some moments, Stealth Black looked down at Law. Teach began to argue weakly, Sora tossing him about easily like a toy as he settled restraints over his wrists.

There was so much missing from the conversation. Law wanted to ask questions, but Stealth Black picked him up and tossed him over his shoulder once more, causing Law to grunt.

"Whatever comes," Stealth Black warned Law as he strode over to meet Sora, "you'll just have to bear it. You're a fan, eh? Well then – prepare yourself. I must warn you, your powers might not be as powerful there as they are here. We're not _all_ easily manipulated. Not to say that I am, but…you are strong. Listen to every word I say, peasant, and I might allow you to live with me."

Unable to see what was happening, Stealth Black's cape fluttering in his face, Law could only make a sound of agreement.

With Teach grasped in one hand, Sora looked over the pair with indecision. But he shook his head, and flexed his wrist. A whining sound, like a fan slowly whirling into working order, began to rise up from his wrist. Before they knew it, the world was bright and smelled of the sea. The indication of freefall made Law's guts twist and his heart to try to escape from his throat. All he saw were flashes of a bright, shining sky glittering with faint clouds. It hurt his eyes. When Stealth Black's cape fluttered away from his face, he saw an endless sea stretched out in front of him. It was a different color than he expected, but he felt like throwing up because of how high they were.

The cape twisted around his head and he struggled as Stealth Black caught them both, securing Law over his shoulder once more. Then he was moving in one direction with a sound of relief.

"I am home!" he announced grandly. There was a commotion of sound ahead of them, and Law tried to untwist from his damn cape in an effort to see. He did hear relieved shouts of "Stealth Black!", "Stealth Black has returned!", "Stealth Black has been sighted!".

Law's heart raced, thundering noisily against his chest. With the combination of the cape twisted around his head, the fright of being so far up and registering that he was in another world, he couldn't think. He was hyperventilating, and he felt like passing out. He closed his eyes in an attempt to soothe himself, but he could still feel panic thundering inside of him like a rushing train. It was easy to pass out after that.

: :

When he awoke, he could smell food. His stomach gurgled noisily. Then he registered that he was bobbing along with each step Stealth Black took, and that ultimately made Law feel nauseous. It was a welling feeling that threatened to erupt, and he groaned miserably. He opened his eyes, looking down at the bright red carpet. Stealth Black was accompanied by very familiar clone-soldiers, all of whom walked alongside and behind him without change of expression. A heavy door was opened, and conversation ceased instantly.

"Father!" Stealth Black announced. He posed grandly within the doorway, Law on his shoulder."I have returned home."

"Where the heck have you been, loser?"

"Father, did we even notice he was gone?"

"Welcome back, Sanji."

"What are you carrying?"

Heart thundering, Law realized that these were the _actual_ voices of the Germa 66 crew. They were nothing how they were depicted in the cartoon, so he couldn't tell who was speaking. The only female, Reiju, sounded lazy and uninspired, unlike her depicted personality.

He was uprighted and placed down into a chair that immediately accommodated him – much like some memory foam. Facing everyone, his eyes widened with awe. Sitting around a massive, oblong table was the Vinsmoke family. Garuda looked exactly as he did on the cartoon and comics, but he had yet to speak. The big man was looking at Law with disgust before eyeing his third son with irritation. Ichiji was at Garuda's right, chewing on the tines of his fork. Niji was leaning over the table to look at Law with an interested expression, eyes hidden behind his goggles. Yonji was still chewing on his food, brow furrowed with concern. Reiju was looking at Law with amusement, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed over her somewhat flat chest. When she noticed that Law was looking at her, her expression shifted into a sultry smirk. It made his cheeks hot.

_They're _real, Law thought with amazement. _Every single one of them! Real! Breathing, living, staring at _me_! I am going to die…again_…

"What is that?" Ichiji asked, his voice very unlike his appearance. It caused Law a puzzled blink because Ichiji had been depicted as stern and very intimidating, but his voice caused Law to think of Michael Cera. "It's ugly…"

"Sanji, you dummy, you brought home a _guy_," Niji commented, his voice obnoxiously loud and high pitched. He happened to spit as he spoke. "Why did you bring home a _guy_?"

"Ugh, what is wrong with his face?" Yonji asked with bewilderment. Unlike his intimidating appearance, his voice was high and flighty, almost timidly quiet. He wiped his nose with one arm before resuming eating.

"Brother," Reiju commented, vocal fry causing Law's eye to twitch, "what is this?"

Stealth Black stood proudly. "This is my captive," he stressed. "He is a man with frightening abilities. He is an _alien_. And I captured him. I found him from the planet I was sent to, and this is my proof."

The Vinsmoke family stared at him in silence, then looked at each other.

"What a _moron_!" Niji cried, braying like a donkey as he laughed.

"A real alien? But he looks like us," Ichiji commented with disgust. _Definitely Michael Cera_, Law thought. He would bet his right ball that if Ichiji removed his ever present glasses that the resemblance between them would be unmistakable. "Throw him away before he infects us with something..."

Yonji looked at Law with disappointment, shoveling in more food. When he spoke, his voice was soft and gentle, completely unlike his brutish appearance. "Being all tied up, I bet he has wings, or something!"

"An actual human being of an alien?" Reiju asked skeptically, her voice still emitting that fry that had Law's eye twitching violently. "_Gross_. I had imagined so much grander when it came to the subject."

_Is this the dubbed edition of the Vinsmokes_? Law thought with utter misery, feeling somewhat heartbroken by the unexpected reality of some of the worst villains he'd somewhat admired.

Stealth Black huffed. He switched out from his suit, and his siblings gaped at him.

"What are you wearing?" Ichiji asked, unexpectedly interested as he straightened up in his chair, setting aside his fork.

"That design is pretty sharp," Niji had to admit enviously, Law looking at Sanji once more to see if they were talking seriously about the man's getup. Sure enough, Sanji was still wearing that prom jacket and striped trousers that made Law wince.

"I don't know, stripes make me look fat," Yonji said with a dejected sigh. "But I do like the fit of that jacket. Pretty swell."

"I want an outfit like his!" Niji then shouted out at the clones nearby, some of whom hastily darted forward to take measurements and pictures of Sanji's outfit. Sanji allowed them to do so, wearing a smug expression while Niji sat back in his seat and stared at Sanji with some bitterness. Ichiji waved a single finger, the clones acknowledging this with haste.

Reiju's upper lip curled with feminine disgust, hiding her mouth moments later with a hand.

"These clothes are from another planet," Sanji told them, dropping into the chair next to Law. His expression was proud. "From something they call a 'thrift store'."

"Dad, what's a 'thrift store'?" Ichiji asked Garuda hastily.

"He wouldn't know, it's from another _planet_," Sanji stressed to his older brother.

"Dad knows _every_thing."

"Dad doesn't know everything from another _planet_!"

"Dad!" Niji cried. "Is that an actual alien? Why does he look like us?"

Yonji slammed a fist upon the table. "Why can't _I_ be sent to another planet? I want an alien, too!"

"But how did _Sanji_ survive on another planet?" Ichiji wondered aloud, picking at his throat. "It seems real suspicious that _you_ could have survived and came back with an actual alien…"

"He's my personal man servant," Sanji continued, looking rather pleased with himself as Law found it difficult to react to the sights and sounds around him. Garuda continued to look at his son with disdain, wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin and making a signal to a woman that mysteriously appeared and disappeared with his dish. Another slid a plate full of brightly colored desserts in front of him and smoothly slipped out of view. "I brought him back with me because he is also an alien of superior mind abilities that he uses when he speaks."

"Is that why he's gagged?"

"Take it off, show us!"

"Did you mark on him? What are those black marks on his chest?"

"Oh, Sanji, it's not _fair_! Why you and not me?"

"That's a nice outfit you're wearing," Reiju told Law, not looking at his outfit but directly into his face. "Hugs your body rather nicely…"

Garuda cleared his throat noisily, all voices ceasing almost immediately. Plates were set in front of Sanji, and Sanji ate cheerfully, shoveling food into his mouth and chewing with grateful action. Law couldn't help but look at him enviously.

"Sanji," Garuda said, his voice grating and nearly as high pitched as Niji's. Law glanced at him with disappointment. "You've been gone for a few days. I had sent out a search party. I thought we'd be finding your pieces. Why did you not notify me that you were…on another planet?"

"I obviously couldn't," Sanji answered with a mouthful of food. "Father, I did everything I could to come back. And I lived to tell the tale, _Niji_. Reiju, Yonji, Ichiji – you guys. Guess what? We are _reveled_ on other planets! We are known as mighty conquerors and respected fighters! They even made figurines of you!"

All the siblings glittered with amazement, Reiju sitting up in her chair with her eyebrows raised halfway up her forehead.

"What about you?" Ichiji asked with a scoffing tone. "What about your figurine?"

Sanji shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sure I looked just as mighty."

Niji tilted his head back and barked out an obnoxious laugh. "HAH! About as mighty as my big toe!"

"I just didn't see it, _okay_? Shut up!"

"You shut up!"

"No, you shut up!"

"_Both_ of you shut up," Ichiji commanded, but Law just could not stop envisioning Michael Cera as sitting in Ichiji's place. His soft, whiny voice caused ripples across Law's sensitive mind. He looked down at the table with disappointment. He'd never look at Ichiji the same after this. "Let Sanji tell us the tale."

"So, during the battle with Sora – " Sanji began before Yonji interrupted him with, "Which we totally won, by the way, no thanks to you."

"_God_, Yonji, let him speak," Reiju ordered, Law's eye twitching at the drawn out emphasis in her words.

"Yeah, Sanji!" Niji yelled over the table, like they couldn't hear him. "Loser!"

"Father, make them let me speak!" Sanji complained.

"'Make them let me speak'," Ichiji mocked.

Garuda sighed. "Let him speak."

"Let him speak!" Yonji repeated. "I wanna hear about the alien!"

"Dad! I want an alien, too! A _better_ one! A woman one!" Niji yelled.

"If you can make this happen, father, I want one too," Ichiji chimed in.

"God, can all of you just shut up and let Sanji talk?" Reiju complained, crossing her arms once more. "I want to hear where he's been."

"You guys can't copy me," Sanji said incredulously, rising from his chair and placing his hands on law's shoulders. "This one is special. I present to you…Trafalgar Law. A working citizen. An _artist_. But with a voice as deadly as a spell. He will have you down on your knees in moments, rethinking your entire existence."

"What a stupid power," Ichiji scoffed.

"That's not even a power," Niji pointed out.

"No wings?" Yonji asked with disappointment.

Reiju rested her chin upon her bridged hands. "_Mmm_, tell me more…!"

Sanji considered his decisions, then untied the knot of Law's gag. He whipped it away while Law opened and closed his mouth with discomfort, wiping at his chin and goatee. Sanji clamped his hands over his ears while the Vinsmoke siblings looked expectant, Yonji's full fork caught in mid-air. Even the clones started to look nervous. Reiju's eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Speaking in front of a room full of people was always one of Law's weakest points. He immediately broke into a sweat, guts churning nervously. His throat went dry. He felt insecurity of having nothing to say at all when all he wanted to say was how disappointed he was in meeting the real Germa 66.

"Your alien's busted," Niji pointed out with disappointment. "Sanji. Your alien is _broken_. Make him speak."

"Maybe he's rethinking the value of his life," Ichiji murmured, spinning his fork about on his plate. "What a smart, stupid alien."

Sanji lowered his hands and looked at Law. He gestured at his family. "C'mon. You've admired and praised them. You had their figurines in your house. Talk to them. Tell them what you think."

Law struggled to find something to say, but he felt such pressure once he looked up to see the faces of the Vinsmoke family turned his way. He winced and looked down at the table instead.

Reiju clicked her tongue, leaning onto the table with both arms. "Aw, he's _scared_. Poor thing. Sanji, give him some water."

"Then a kick in the head!" Niji yelled. "That'll make him speak!"

"Wait, show me his wings!"

"He doesn't have wings, Yonji!"

"Sanji said he did!"

"No, he didn't!"

"I didn't say anything about wings," Sanji said, mystified.

"Shut up, all of you," Ichiji commanded.

Law had a headache, but he was pretty sure it was because he felt severely disappointed. There was now no wonder Sanji was the he presented himself. This entire family was…_disappointing_. He'd expected them all to be as exactly as they were depicted in the comics – severe, intimidating, intelligent. Instead, he was faced with Michael Cera, Kourtney Kardashian, Adam Sandler, and John Goodman. It had never occurred to him that Sanji's voice was any different from his voice actor's.

Garuda exhaled heavy. "Sanji. How did you get to another planet?"

"I don't know the details, father. Sora sent me there. He was testing something. He retrieved me because I was dangerous on this planet," Sanji said seriously. "I was the only superhuman there. These humans – they don't really have any powers. And…that world was almost like ours, but with completely different technology."

Garuda looked thoughtful. Ichiji began chewing on the cleaned bone of some type of meat while Niji rocked restlessly in his chair. Reiji had made eye contact with Law and was slowly licking her lips – causing him extreme embarrassment. Yonji was leaning back in his chair, searching for the wings that he knew was there.

"For Sora to have that sort of technology," Garuda muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Unforgiveable. And he tested it upon you? Why only you?"

"I was the only one at sea at the time, father. Remember?"

"Yes, well…unfortunately, things happen that way. Boys. Reiju. Finish your food, stop gawking. He's obviously nothing special, we don't want him to feel that way. Sanji, get rid of your pet."

"But _father_ \- !"

"Unless you can prove he's an alien of useable qualities, than you may keep him. Submit him to the laboratory so that we may learn more about him. But if he's only a mere human, an…_artist_…" Garuda said the word like it was a contagious disease, "then dispose of him. Or else I'll have your brothers do so."

"Do you have a cock?" Reiju asked Law curiously, hand cradling her jaw. Law stared at her, unsure of what she meant.

"Reiju loves roosters for some reason," Sanji whispered to him. "I don't know why. She must think they're cute."

"I love _cocks_," Reiju whispered, her face clearly saying differently of what Sanji thought she meant. Law bloomed with color upon reading that face correctly. "Can I see yours?"

"Reiju, he doesn't have any chickens," Sanji told her impatiently. Then he looked at his father while Law awkwardly looked in the other direction as Reiju's brightly painted nails drew attention to her lips. "Father. I will prove to you that he is useful. Don't dispose of him just yet. He's a shy creature. It takes awhile for him to open up, but once he does, he's not shy. Just fierce. I suspect he will come in handy for future advances."

"_Hah_," Ichiji drawled, giving his younger brother an exasperated look while scratched at the whirl on his eyebrow. "Father, don't listen to him. He's always coming up with dumb ideas to make himself look better."

"Sanji, why do you try so hard?" Niji asked mockingly.

"Quiet down, guys," Yonji hissed. "Don't make the alien unleash his mighty mind powers on us. We're not quite ready."

"Do you have an alien girlfriend?" Reiju asked Law. "If not, I can be yours…"

"Ew, hand holding is _gross_!" Niji laughed, voice unnecessarily loud ringing out over the grand dining hall.

"Reiju, stop talking that way to an alien, you don't know where he's been," Ichiji admonished.

"Not at the dinner table, Reiju," Yonji scolded her while Sanji stabbed at his steak with a spoon. "We're trying to _eat_."

Garuda sighed heavily, looking as if he'd given up on saying anything else. For a man of might, he sure looked exhausted. Law could understand why after spending this much time with Sanji. Perhaps Garuda wore that mask to hide this exhaustion. His children – Sora's children – were _terrible_.

"You can tell by his eyes when he's using his abilities," Sanji then said, abandoning the effort. A woman dressed in white quickly cut up his steak while he was distracted, Law watching her work while he wore a look of horror. "They change color!"

"They're beautiful," Reiju whispered.

"_Gah_! I can't look!" Ichiji exclaimed, hand shielding his glasses.

"They look like they can see _into your soul_," Niji decided after a long, pressing stare. Yonji chewed his food faster, looking over from the corner of his eyes. Garuda sighed again, closing his eyes for just a few moments.

Law thought he was going to throw up. His stomach did give a retched heave, so he turned his head to look in the other direction.

Sanji reached over and wrapped one arm around Law's shoulder with a praising hug. "See? They like you! I knew they would!"

Law was absolutely very positive that wasn't the word needed to describe the situation.

He rose unsteadily from his chair, movement from around the table ceasing immediately. He felt the incredible tension of being watched by eager, dangerous persons ready to wrought ruin onto him if he made another move. As he lifted his eyes, three men and one woman watched him with the hunger of eager predators; tense and ready to pounce.

"Sanji," he said quietly, "release me. I am going to throw up. My vomit is too precious to waste being spilled in front of these…miscreants."

"He speaks the same language!" Ichiji gasped. "We know when he's insulting us."

"How can we understand him if he's an alien? Is he projecting his abilities into our minds?" Yonji cried, dropping his fork.

Niji looked frozen, eyebrows lifted high as he pushed back against the table. Reiju's eyelashes fluttered, hand pressed against her chest.

"Oh my, I definitely feel a _tingle_," she murmured, her voice laced with sultry action.

"Go pee, then," Ichiji told her impatiently. "Don't just sit there and dance in your seat."

"You can run around here unaccompanied," Sanji decided, standing up to remove the restraints from around Law's wrists and ankles. He dropped them onto the table, where a man in white quickly retrieved them and disappeared. "Just don't go where you're not supposed to, watch out for the stray dogs in the area, they'll rip you to pieces. I've seen how you are with animals. Also, if you want to come back, have one of those guys bring you to me. You'll be fine."

"Let's kill him," Ichiji suggested, rising from his seat. "Get it over with now."

Sanji stood in front of Law, spoon in hand. "Over my dead body! He's _my_ alien, you dim-witted scoundrels! Did you see? He struck you all stupid with just a few words, and they weren't even threatening!"

"_Now I really want one_," Yonji wheezed, face purple with some sort of excitement. He rocked in his seat. "Dad, I really want one!"

"Silence!" Garuda boomed, all of them jumping. "Sanji. Take that thing out of here. I won't stand his presence for another minute. The rest of you – don't bother. You don't know where that thing has been, or what sort of diseases it carries. It looks like an annoying human, but I suspect there's more to it than we can see."

"Right." Sanji made to grab Law, but Law shoved his hands away.

"_I can walk_," he insisted fiercely. Before anything else could be said, he turned to face the others. He refused to investigate any further as to why one of Reiju's hands was missing from the table, her face pink as she stared up at him.

"All of you disappoint me," Law said low, voice laced with his emotion. "I had expected something different once you were in front of me. But now I see that you're all just…whiny children. _Despicable_. You've ruined _everything_ I've thought of you within the span of minutes. You. Your voice makes you a weak man. Never speak again, I can't take you seriously. _You_. You want attention so badly, you're willing to destroy your vocal cords just to get it. _Pathetic_. You. You…_teletubbie_ of a man, you're soft. Go chase the sun. And _you_…"

Law couldn't directly address Reiju, whose shoulder was shaking. He covered his eyes and turned away, Sanji gesturing at his back with insistence as the others looked shocked at being insulted so openly. Garuda looked concerned.

As they walked away, Yonji looked to Garuda with horror. Ichiji was touching his throat with unease while Niji wore an expression of confusion. "What's a teletubbie?"

Garuda cleared his throat noisily, looking lost. "Never mind that…thing. I don't know what to think of it. But give Sanji a few hours before you all can dispose of it yourselves. I don't care how. Just get rid of it."

* * *

**A/N:** Well…like the rest of his hopes and dreams…RIP Law's expectations…Ive written the Vinsmoke siblings as mighty and intelligent and as frightening as they can be in many stories but this...this version of them disturbs me the most XD

**Naghi-Tan**: He adapts and overcomes with surprising strength XD

**Guest**: I hope it stays interesting…lol! Now that Law is here, he's definitely having second thoughts. The development between them works slowly, but it's building up. I couldn't possibly end the story without it actually being there :D Thank you for your compliments : )


	12. Chapter 12

**: :** **12**

Everything about the castle was cold, big, drafty and obscenely unnecessary. The comics had given shadow and depth to make Germa 66's living conditions a rich and expensive set-up that had given thought that they lived life in a mansion, but this was more Game of Thrones living than a modern development. Law felt nausea, but he was sure it was only because of the scene they left behind. There was something unsteady about his every step, like the castle was in constant movement. He was aware that it floated atop of the sea but had never experienced sea sickness so he had to consider that this was a real thing.

Sanji stalked ahead of him, guards surrounding them. While smoking, Sanji greeted pretty much anyone caught in their path, clones and workers alike giving him cheery greetings back. Law was slowly understanding that the third prince was quite liked amongst the workers that the Vinsmokes were depicted picking on all the time. Admittedly, it wasn't much of a surprise, now.

He was given awed looks once Sanji declared him a captive alien from another planet. Women blushed and hurriedly looked away while men looked at him with wary consideration. It did something to Law's ego because women on his planet did not look at him like that and men definitely did not consider him a threat.

_I could be a completely different person here_, Law thought with some shock. Voices echoed so grandly off the obnoxiously spacey halls, so anyone passing by in the other surrounding towers were quite aware of where they were. The thought that anyone could be stealthy here was a laughable thought. They climbed various staircases, took a couple of elevators and ended up in a long corridor with doors decorated according to sibling. Law was out of breath and dying, his lack of physical prowess indicated by his efforts. His feet were killing him in these heeled boots.

The guards hurriedly opened the doors of a plain wood and steel design, opening up to a wide, circular room. It had blue curtains, blue bed canopy, blue rugs and maps of various destinations and framed menus hanging from the stone walls. It was cold, the sea made it stink with a particular smell, and mice fled from open sight with high pitched squeaks. But there were fresh flowers in a vase near the massive bed, treats left on a shining silver tray atop of the bed, and candles burning brightly in fancy sconces between the framed pictures on the stone wall.

"This," Sanji indicated grandly with a wave of his arms and a proud smile, "is my room. Look upon it, mortal. Feast your sorcerous eyes upon it. It is unlike the cramped, crowded mess that you claim as bed space."

Law held a hand over his mouth. He felt like getting sick. The guards quickly hurried away, their footsteps echoing after them long after they were gone. Mice scurried out of their heading places to greet him with seemingly happy squeaks, Sanji placing his hands on his hips and looking down at them with a wide smile. He instantly shifted tactic to the tray on his bed and scooped up what looked like a parfait.

"Hi, everyone! I'm back! Sorry for my absence," he said to the vermin, crouching so that he could feed them individually. Law stared with outright shock, disgusted and amazed at the same time. The mice actually took turns taking their share, squeaking noisily with apparent cheer. "I bet you're all hungry…this should hold until supper. It sure looks delicious, I can't _wait_ to share with you some of the things I learned from _his_ planet…"

He set aside the parfait, as if this Disney princess scene was a very normal event. Then he looked to Law with his hands on his hips, standing with that royal air as the mice shared equal portions amongst themselves. Law spotted their droppings and nests along the stone walls and within the rug. His nausea grew violent.

"How did you not die of the Hanta Virus yet?" he heard himself ask shakily, Sanji looking puzzled.

"Is that something commoners experience because they are too poor to afford vaccinations?"

Law realized he had no other words as Sanji gave up trying to understand the other man. He gestured grandly at his open windows, which were wide open to display the surrounding towers of the Vinsmoke Kingdom. Law desperately had questions for their architect. The curves of these towers were impossible angles. Creating a frame within both hands, Sanji squinted while saying, "If you should stand just right, you can see the ocean from here!"

_We are _literally_ right on top of the ocean_, Law thought dully.

"Are you speechless because you are absolute witness to royalty?" Sanji asked him. He was in too good of a mood to take Law's green expression any seriously. He waved grandly at the bed and removed his shoes to climb atop of it. Hopping about, Law freezing stiffly as he watched a grown man hop atop of his bed like some toddler, Sanji added, "This bed is crafted from the finest materials father could find! Once you sleep in it, you'll understand why I complained incessantly about the conditions you'd forced me to endure despite knowing why I demanded it."

Law thought he was going to throw up because the sight of the man bouncing about added to his seasickness. He lurched towards the windows, desperate for fresh air. He ended up looking down at the sight of Sanji's brothers marching out a set of wide doors, guards visibly subdued and timid around them. The thought of vomiting upon them caused a natural panic in him that had him clapping his hands against his mouth. Sanji was suddenly pressing against him to look down.

To his horrified eyes, Law watched Sanji hock a spectacular loogie down at his brothers. Their immediate screams of horror and anger rang off the castle towers.

"It's in my _hair_!" Michael Cera – no, _Ichiji_ – cried.

"Sanji! You piece of trash! You missed!" Niji shrilled. "Try again! I dare you!"

Law couldn't hear Yonji's response because it was so soft and gentle that Niji's voice drowned it out. Sanji snickered at their response and slammed the wooden shutters closed. Moments later, a sizable statue of the Vinsmoke crest broke through them, shattering wood and sending pieces of the shutters everywhere. The mice took cover with frightened noises and Sanji only laughed merrily. Law braced himself against the wall, heart thundering with apprehension in that something bigger could possibly smush him to death and there was no saving him.

"Don't worry about this," Sanji told him, waving a hand at the mess. "It'll be cleaned up and repaired before we get back. Come. I want to show others of your presence so that others may be amazed at my story."

"My feet are killing me," Law complained, wanting to sit but spying mouse droppings down on the floor. Sanji looked at his feet suspiciously.

"Then, a change of wardrobe! Certainly, there is something around here that you can wear that makes you less…_you_." Sanji trailed off, giving Law a skeptical look, apparently failing for proper words. He then clapped his hands, calling for the guards' attention.

The doors opened, a troop of clones and repairmen carting in new shutters hurrying in. They greeted Sanji merrily while Sanji greeted them. A few maids hurried in with eager expressions. Law hoped that they'd clean up after the mice but they apparently did not find that necessary. Sanji asked them to dress Law in "clothes worthy of an alien foe", and the group of women scrambled about to follow through with this order.

Nearly half an hour later, Law admired himself in the massive mirror braced against a single bathroom that was much bigger than his own apartment. The half cape was black with yellow lining; he wore a black shirt with a dainty frilled collar, black trousers and black boots that were surely crafted from God's own hands. He had to deny the helmet the women insisted upon, sure that it would make him look more fearsome. He also denied the heavy crown, headband and eye mask that would surely outline his "mysterious eyes". But his hair was teased, cut and styled around his facial features; his hair had always been messy but the waves were waxed and crafted to curl around his face. His sideburns and goatee were also trimmed and waxed. The women glowed with admiration upon their final touch, blushing prettily as they tittered over their work. Law felt like a dress up doll as the women's eyes sparkled and the men looked upon him with visible respect.

He had to admit, he looked like something resembling Greek royalty. He had never imagined he'd look so…_fantastic_! Tumblr artist, hospital customer service representative, fast foodie Trafalgar Law; aka, Greek prince. His own cheeks felt like they were glowing in delight at his revamped image. He could almost feel dramatically _villainous_ looking like this!

Sanji changed into a more comfortable outfit that consisted of all white material with a kerchief and knee high brown boots. There was a brown "3" embroidered upon his left breast. Once he saw Law, he laughed obnoxiously around his ever present cigarette. "You look like a damned bumblebee! Your taste is _hideous_! Why are you trying to look pretty? Ha ha!"

Law scowled at him self-consciously.

"Sanji-sama," one of the more elderly maids spoke up, looking shy, "we've only accentuated your alien captive's appearance to showcase just how strong you are with defeating your foe. You can parade your capture with absolute pride in your ability! To think, you've traveled to another planet and eluded this villain's abilities in a way your siblings couldn't!"

Sanji paused in mid-laugh, then lit up. The women lit up. The clones lit up. Law struggled to stifle his vomit, covering up his mouth and causing them all alarm.

"The powers of your positivity have affected him!" one the clones gasped.

"I'm _sea sick_, morons!" Law snapped at them. He then added bitterly, "But this absolutely disgusting display of thinking this idiot is something of a cherub amongst you makes it even worse. He's a moron! Brain dead! It's the Hanta Virus that caused you all to look at him like he's some fucking angel! You're all infected, and will die very soon if you don't get rid of the vermin he feeds!"

All of them looked horrified, and the maids looked troubled, bowing their heads with meek submissiveness while the clones grasped their weapons with apprehension. Sanji rolled his eyes.

"Stop using your powers on them, you insecure cretin, they had only done their best to make you look like something we _can_ respect," Sanji snapped at Law, flicking his nose. The older man looked outraged before Sanji then grabbed his shirt and yanked at him to follow after him. "Thank you all for your hard work! I truly feel I can feel worthy of holding my head high by holding this low-life captive at my own hands!"

"You're welcome, Sanji-sama!" the crowd replied with delight, mood over with.

Law veered off towards what looked like a trash can and heaved into it, much to the disgust of those around them. Once he started, he realized he couldn't stop. Sanji forced him to hold the can against his chest and dragged Law after him.

"This is our kingdom!" Sanji said with pride forty-five minutes later, gesturing at the surprisingly beautiful lands maintained by Vinsmoke gardeners. Law was wary of removing the can from his chest, weak with motion sickness. But he looked around himself curiously, noting how normal everything seemed. The lawns and flower boxes were maintained with a precision that belonged to visual animation sequences. The houses in the distance belonging to commoners were nicely maintained, with beautifully clean streets. It was difficult for Law to accept that everything he saw right now was floating atop of huge snails with "66" tattooed on them. It looked like a normal, everyday city. He looked back at the grand castle, which obscured any hope of seeing those snails.

Sanji looked at Law with expectance. "Well, pig? Words fail you?"

Law held a finger up for him to hold that thought before heaving into his cradled trash can. Sanji looked revolted by Law's manners. Law wiped his mouth weakly and looked exhausted. Sanji's face darkened.

"I've never taken to the waters, Sanji," Law told him impatiently. "This is common for those that don't live on _fucking_ snails atop of the _fucking_ ocean. Enough with your shit."

Sanji huffed. "Well, that's your own fault for desiring to live limited. Oh! Come! This is something you definitely have to see."

Law wanted to wring his neck for saying that he lived 'limited', but he doubted he had any capability of doing so against that alien brat.

Sanji led him through some well-kept foot paths towards a grassy area. It was beautifully maintained with flowers lacing through fence lines, vines crawling over stone walls and butterflies darting here and there. He hurried up a knoll, Law trudging along heavily as his stomach refused to settle. But he ended up dumping the contents of his trash can alongside a lightly moving stream, washing it out with a disgusted expression. Once it was clean, he held it under one arm and struggled on one hand and two knees up the knoll. Sanji held a hand to his forehead, looking utterly humiliated as Law reached him, straightening up with heavy effort.

"I haven't been so active since grade school," he huffed and puffed, waving a hand at his face to generate cooling air.

"You are _embarrassing_ me in front of the whole kingdom," Sanji stated between gritted teeth. Hands on his knees, placing his can between his ankles, Law caught his breath. Sanji was over the mood, gesturing grandly at the sight of the ocean just beyond them. The rim of the ship was visible as plain concrete and steel, indicating that they were considerable distance up from the actual surface waters. Law froze for a horrified moment as he realized how broad the expanse of waters were, meeting the skyline in the distance. Combined with his fear of heights and seasickness, the urge to retch was unbearably strong. He grabbed his can and heaved once more, the sound of blowing chunks reverberating within the space. Ignoring that, Sanji said, "Here is my favorite spot on the island! Look at that horizon! When we are moving north, the sun hits that spot just right – mmm, it makes the buildings sing!"

Law crooked an eyebrow. He was _positive_ he heard that particular line from "the Emperor's New Groove".

Then he realized something – this childish asshole was showing him all his favorite places. Introducing him to his staff, showing him his damned room(!), dressing him in relative finery and showing him off proudly to his family. Wasn't that…suspicious? As a 'worthy foe', shouldn't he be kept in handcuffs and treated like a prisoner?

"And when it rains, as it oftimes happens out here," Sanji added cheerily, "you can watch the storm pass over from here. Look. There's a stone structure there I can take shelter in and weather the storm peacefully. Legend has it that a fair maiden took shelter there long ago and was tragically swept into the ocean when the waves came in far enough to pull people in. She was saved by the Fishmen and turned into a mermaid and lived _happily ever after_. I like that story…rumor has it that my mother used to tell us this story when we were but babes in the incubating pods…"

Law was numb.

He lowered the can and looked at him apprehensively as Sanji admired the scene with obvious approval. "Um…when Sora asked you about those spoilers…what was the content?"

Sanji's face twitched but he held his expression remarkably well. "Oh, that's not something to be bothered by. I can't take it so seriously. Admittedly, that book and our world have many…_many_…suspiciously close details, but the fact that Teach is part of our world and not yet a part of that book – well, that excludes any sort of relatability I might have towards it. So, I don't believe in it. I have plenty of time to change my fate."

"Sanji. Please tell me."

Sanji frowned at him, adjusting his kerchief. Law did find himself wondering when the prince had changed out his cigarette for a newer one.

"Um, well…the story said that Sora had returned to the prison to…convince me of something. But the officials there directed him to uncover my dead body to identify it."

Law's face dropped. Sanji then shook his head and released a disbelieving smile. "I can't take that seriously, Law! It is but a story!"

"A _true_ story, Sanji! _Your future_!" Law cried with upset. "This is why Sora tried transferring you to my world, to protect you!"

"It's not real!" Sanji insisted. "It's not real, and you yourself said that it's fake, that it is only fiction – "

"But it's real for you because I am physically standing here in your world, and neither of us could have grasped that concept if you hadn't come crashing through my apartment that night!"

"According to your books, I have perhaps six months between this time and that time to change my fate," Sanji told him crossly. "I can do so. It'll be easy. Now that I know what I know, all I have to do is wait for the revelation in the next chapter to understand how to prevent it."

"But that could take immense loads of time because the creator often transfers from one chapter onto the next, using fillers to describe a different picture! It could be _months_ before the details of your death are revealed by Sora and the prison officials! You could die without learning who does it or how the events lead up to it!"

"It's not something I'm actively worried about," Sanji assured him. "Your reaction to my siblings and my family – you were mortally wounded from just the encounter at the dinner table. Do you feel confident that _they_ could be the ones trying to kill me? I think not. I'm insulted that you think that less of me."

Law dropped his can, causing Sanji to jump away to avoid the spill. Hands to his forehead, Law exclaimed, "Why are you so fucking _dense_? Don't you get it? That is _your_ fucking _future_, spilled out to you directly. Sora went above and beyond to prevent that from happening. He's a hero for that reason, it's how he must know to anticipate his villains' intentions!"

Sanji considered this with a serious expression, hands on his hips.

The wind drifting away from the ocean caused Law's half-cape to flutter at his legs, for his waxed curls to dangle over his forehead and cheeks. He felt helpless in trying to convince this spoiled brat that he should take his frightening future seriously. Everything in the books Law had read to him as absolutely true, as indicated by Sanji's own reaction.

Law felt upset. Looking back on the way his own staff treated Sanji, the reaction of vermin, the telltale dislike of Sanji's own family towards him – it was definitely foreshadowing a theatrical wound in _Sora: Warrior of the Seas_. Propaganda for an author that needed dramatic action to cause dramatic upset. For _ratings' value_.

"No," Sanji then said firmly, hand up in Law's direction. "You're doing it again. You're using your words to cast a spell on me."

"NO I'M NOT!" Law cried out with intense frustration. "Sanji, _I don't have powers_! I don't use my words cause anything, and – look!"

Changing tactic, Law said seriously, "If you actually think my words are of value, that they are something of a spell, then why haven't you considered my effort to convince you otherwise? Don't my _emotions_ indicate the truthfulness in my diarrhea of the mouth?"

Sanji furrowed his forehead as he pointed off to a grove of trees. "If you need to _go_, go over there! How it wound up in your mouth is - !"

"_SANJI_!"

The villainous prince sighed with impatience, arms flapping to his sides. "It's nothing to be worried over! Have confidence in my ability to succeed and win! Is this your true feelings, commoner? That you share my family's lack of faith in me?"

Law frowned heavily at the sea. His nausea was still there, but he was so upset by this that it allowed him to stop thinking about it.

"I might not be modified like they are," Sanji then reluctantly added, "but I am more clever than you think. I am stealth for a reason."

Law closed his eyes bitterly and turned away from him. He felt stupid standing in his Vinsmoke finery and marveling at a world that was so unlike his. But it occurred to him that Sanji would not take Sora's efforts to save him at any value – so perhaps it was up to _him_ to actually do something.

It made sense that Sora allowed him this far. He realized this with pressured horror. _Sora_ was counting on _him_ to save his son.

He looked at Sanji once more. But before he could say something, Sanji's head snapped to the side and he shielded Law from a brilliant sparkle of light that caused Law momentary blindness. The earth around them ripped apart like it were shredded by bullets, but the plasma blast smelled strong and left dirt and smoke to wisp away with the ocean-led breeze.

"_ICHIJI_!" Sanji shouted with irritation, looking off to the left. Ichiji's redhead popped up from behind some brilliant green vines and flowers, fist smoking. "Leave us alone!"

"Dad said I could kill it," Ichiji returned, voice nearly lost to the ocean noises in the distance. But Law could hear that distinct whine, causing him an uneasy shudder. "Father gave us direct orders to do so after you were done playing with it."

"You cannot kill my alien! He is mine, I found him first!"

"Aww…but it's so _ugly_…."

"_You're_ ugly!"

"You take that back right now, Sanji! We have the same face, so you're essentially calling yourself ugly, too!"

Sanji gasped with outrage while Law found himself unable to repress rolling his eyes. Ichiji approached them warily, slouchy-shouldered and completely unlike his presence in the comics. Since the spitting incident, he was wearing a white shirt with a red '1' on the left sleeve – where flashes of his tattoo revealed a similar picture. It was quite Chad-dish. He looked as if he'd just stepped off the tennis courts, but his clothes were sloppily held in place, and he was not regal by any standard. He kept pushing his glasses up his nose like an Earth-traditional nerd, but with anime influence because the trendy flash over the lenses suggested that Law would not be able to look into his eyes.

Hand on one lazy hip, Ichiji tutted as he looked Law over. "I'm not impressed by the difference," he sniffed. "He's just taller in proper clothes. He looks _feminine_. Ladies wouldn't like looking at him like they like looking at us. Not you, of course, Sanji, but the rest of us..."

"Your sister wanted to see my cock, so," Law returned, Ichiji's eyebrows furrowing.

"She loves chickens for some reason," Ichiji returned, unconvinced. "She asks _all_ the men in our company that. It's no secret."

Law found himself unable to return the insult, disturbed by the male siblings' lack of understanding. He pressed his hands against his forehead in an effort to contain his horror.

Ichiji smirked at them. "See? I've caused him distress, just by my superior appearance alone."

Sanji mimicked him meanly.

"Anyway, I'm here to kill it," Ichiji said airily. "I re-directed the other two so that I could kill it by myself. If you stand in my way, I'll kill you too, Sanji."

"The only thing that can kill me is hearing anymore of your voice," Law said with exasperation. "Seriously, _stop talking_."

Ichiji's lips tightened, and Sanji pointed at him with excitement. "See? _See_? My alien is capable of rendering you stupid with just a verbal command!"

"I only shut up because I wanted to, not because he told me to! I had to think," Ichiji snapped at him, reddening. "He keeps insulting me for my voice, and now I want him to realize my true power with those insults. I'll shut him up permanently!"

Ichiji then looked around them with a scoff. "You brought him here, Sanji? Why would you want to bring him to our mother's dump yard?"

Law stiffened when Sanji did. But the blonde's face turned red, veins bulging. "Don't call her grave a 'dump yard'," he hissed at his older brother.

"That's shitty of you," Law told Ichiji. "Disrespecting the woman who nearly died giving birth to you."

Ichiji frowned at him with a puzzled air. "Whatever are you talking about? She merely tended to our birthing pods, and had nothing to do with us. She was only called 'mother' because she was the head geneticist of our father's modification program."

Something about that caught Law's attention. He asked, "She was a geneticist?"

"Yes. Father employs many of them. Alongside Vegapunk, the two of them created us out of father's whims, to create indestructible soldiers capable of carrying out our father's will. Sanji was the mistake."

"In order to create life, you must have the appropriate chromosomes to do so. So…_whose_ genetics did he take from to create you?"

"We were designed in a lab, filth. Put together by hand with specialized DNA in order to grow in pods."

Law realized that Ichiji couldn't give him an answer. He looked to Sanji. "What did your mother look like?"

Ichiji answered quickly for Sanji. "Unfortunately, Sanji reminds father of her, as well as Reiju. But he hates Sanji more, because he's always trying to have him killed."

Sanji rolled his eyes and looked at Law. "Many of the servants say that I look like her. And Reiju, too, but she's pink. Mother liked pink, they said, so she gave her daughter pink hair."

Law stared down at Sanji's features for a few moments before the thought of Sora wearing a mask came to him. A _clear_ mask that shifted and pressed at his features. Sora also used a voice alteration device. Their "mother" was a geneticist, whereas Sora's foundation had started during lab work to create a superhuman serum allowing him powers to fight superhumans. Vision after vision hit him until he was struck dumb at a terrifying concept. His mouth slowly dropped open, both men staring at him with cluelessness.

"Look, Sanji," Ichiji sneered. "I've broken your dumb alien."

"Sanji," Law murmured low, wearing that dumbstruck expression. He leaned in to cup his mouth against Ichiji's prying eyes, lowering his voice. "Is Sora actually your _mother_?"

Sanji wore a stubborn frown, then crossed his arms over his chest in a guilty reaction.

"Is this the _secret_?" Law squeaked with disbelief. Sanji looked away from him, but a single drop of sweat built and dropped from his temple.

"_OH MY GOD_!" Law cried to the sky, dropping to his knees. Both men stared at him with confusion.

"Sanji, what'd he say to you?" Ichiji demanded as Law held himself in angst pose, Sanji frowning down at him. "What caused him such distress?"

"Ichiji, do you know what 'fornication' is?" Sanji then asked his brother impatiently to buy Law some time for recovery.

"No. Is that an alien word?"

"Apparently, men and women do more than hand hold. They…press their bodies and genitals together. That's how children are made."

Ichiji laughed in disbelief. "That's a _stupid_ concept! How unclean!"

"Law here is convinced that this is how children are made, so he insists upon it. I've tried to tell him otherwise, but he does not believe me."

Ichiji looked confused, shoulders dropping. "Have you shown him our labs?"

"_No_."

Ichiji sighed with disappointment, then lazily waved a hand. "Come along, alien. After I kill you, I'll present father with your genetic information. Maybe he can take your superior verbal qualities from you and give them to me. I don't mind having another power."

Law gripped the grass under his hands with a violent gesture. "I'd rather throw myself into the ocean then look at that shit."

Ichiji gasped in outrage while Sanji smirked. But Ichiji straightened up, fists lighting up with bright red brilliance. Sanji stood in front of Law with an apprehensive expression, and Law realized he was going to get killed. Sanji didn't have any powers but his brother did. Before he could say anything, Ichiji was hit by an electric blue streak of light that crackled with deafening quality, knocking the redhead clear off the grassy knoll and into the distance. They watched him hit the ground, bounce once and then fall off the "ship".

"_I'm_ going to kill that alien!" Niji's annoying voice declared as he zipped over, swirling with electricity.

Sanji frowned at him. "Dad's going to be pissed that you dumped Ichiji into the ocean, again. Now we have to stop all engines and reverse to find him."

Niji had the grace to look nervous, power shuddering before disappearing altogether. He ran an agitated hand through his blue bang before looking off into the direction Ichiji had taken. "Well, poop. Why was he off guard, then?"

"My alien rendered him stupid."

Niji exploded with power, causing Law discomfort as he illuminated the entire area because of it. "_I wanna fight him_!"

Before he could move again, Garuda's voice boomed from a loud speaker that reverberated, seemingly, over the entire ocean. The siblings jolted with twin cringes.

"NIJI," Garuda snapped, and Law could feel the movement underneath them shudder before slowing down. "BECAUSE OF YOUR ACTIONS, WE WILL HAVE TO STOP SHIP AND REVERSE TO FIND YOUR BROTHER. REFLECT SERIOUSLY ON YOUR ACTIONS."

"Can't he just _fly_ out of the water?" Law asked with exasperation, rising to stand on shaking legs.

Niji and Sanji looked at him with impatience. "He wasn't wearing his Raid Suit. _Of course_ not!" Niji snapped. But he cringed again before turning and jogging off. "Oh man, dad's gonna kill me! Neither of you saw where I went! Or I'll blast you silly!"

Sanji watched him go, then looked at Law. He brushed off that event with a shrug. "Let's go somewhere else. It's going to get crowded here in a few moments. Let me show you where they make food similar to your food! You must be hungry after losing your insides just standing there."

Law sighed, feeling ill at the thought of eating. But he saw an army of clones heading with grim expressions towards where Ichiji had disappeared. He jolted unsteadily as momentum stopped suddenly, the entire island paused in place just to retrieve the first prince out of the ocean water.

After everything he had learned, Law wasn't sure what to feel, now.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for waiting while I got the tragic events of 'Once Upon A Dream' out of the way! Now for some humor.

**Naghi-Tan**: in this fic, Reiju is the true pervert XD Oh yeah, things will get interesting in a bit! ;D

**Guest**: The Vinsmokes are definitely disappointing "IRL" XD XD XD Like meeting a celebrity and realizing they're unacceptable jerks (and definitely shorter than they actually are depicted onscreen lol). My mind is a messed up place – swinging moodily from place to place depending on my inspirations (HAHAH)


	13. Chapter 13

**: : 13**

Law sat numbly at a round table while waiters, a couple of cooks and some "commoners" hung around the area, all of them gaping at him and yet delighting in Sanji's company. He couldn't help but feel awful as the revelations of earlier were absorbed into his thought processes. Sora was the Vinsmoke siblings' _mother_ – Sora, Warrior of the Seas was a _woman_. Sora was just trying to pull her third child out of harm's way. This entire angelic display of Germa 66's kingdom fawning over the blonde idiot was absolutely getting onto his last nerve!

It was absolutely ludicrous how people called out to him merrily and then made time to hear how he "conquered a powerful alien from another planet" and showed Law off like he was a living trophy. The people would _ooh_ and _ahh_ then delight over Sanji's idiotic rambling, praising him for a job well done. They were impressed by the sight of Law but it was obvious they adored the prince.

So of course, it made the upcoming spoilers that much more awful to hear because…

In terms of things, it made sense that Garuda wanted him out of the picture. Sanji destroyed the image of Germa 66's might. Well…considering the siblings…Law had to admit that there wasn't much to destroy.

He had a headache. But he looked down at the platters of food between himself and his captor. He served himself and took a big bite of steak – he promptly stopped chewing as the tang caused his taste buds to shrink in horror. So he cleverly spit it out into a napkin and set that aside. The meat didn't taste like meat, but something fake and lingering with a bad aftertaste. The flavoring was completely off, dull and suppressed. He took a spoon to the mashed potatoes and ended up swallowing with a discreet gulp. Those were rich in something creamy and bitter, and the salt tasted like absolute sand. He reached over and bit off a piece of bread and his eyes watered. It melted like buttery salt against his tongue and stung his senses like a slap.

He set his utensils down, bewildered. Did all his years of fast food ruin him for real food, or was this world's tastes that off? A smiling woman placed another plate in front of him, lobster, seared fish and what looked like mussels steaming in a creative spiral. Law bravely tried each one but he wound up so sick to the stomach that he slapped his hands down onto the table, rattling everything atop of it. Conversation ceased and died as attention turned to him. Law grew embarrassed by the attention.

"Excuse me," Sanji told the others before pulling his seat all around the table and sidling up to him with an obnoxious drag of wood upon wood. Once he resettled, he glared over at Law. "_Now_ what is your problem? Are you that dissatisfied that you'll insult the others' gestures?"

"I can see why you hate our food," Law murmured in response. "Nothing here tastes like what we have."

"Why have you not eaten?" Sanji then demanded, taking a bite of his lobster with a look of delight. "Delicious! It's so fresh!"

"Sea…sickness," Law stated dumbly, trying not to insult anybody. "I still feel very ill."

"But we've stopped."

"The waves are still in _motion_, Sanji."

"Nothing ever satisfies your bitter rage and hate, doesn't it?" Law gave him an insulted look while Sanji huffed, and pulled the seafood dish to himself. Everyone went on their merry way, cleaning what they could from the table. Fiddling with his utensils, Law frowned sullenly at the grand display of food.

"I'm still in shock, you know," he then said. "However did you learn of that secret?"

Sanji chewed with a rancorous expression. He replied sullenly, "On accident. Yonji knocked off the mask in a freak accident. Once I understood, I instinctively kept it to myself because I thought I could use it, one day. Perhaps to avert the intention of my death."

"And Sora knows that you know…?"

"Yes. _He_ could sense me while I was undercover. Which is why _he_ resists impulsive reactions."

"Why save only you?"

"Hell if I know! That fiend! Does _he_ not think I'm capable of being as strong as the others?"

Law sat uncomfortably, hands folded between his thighs. "I can't believe that it's her…and she's so freaking tall…"

"About six foot five. _Maybe_."

"She looks like a man."

"Possibly injecting herself with modifications to stay up on times. Perhaps a little too much because there are strong people out there."

Law felt like he was being insulting by being unable to understand how the Marines trusted a woman in that position. But it felt like all his dreams had been doused with icy cold water. All these years, he thought he'd been in admiration of a man. Sanji was watching him with accusation.

"I suppose you're all upset because a _woman_ shouldn't be these things."

"Where I'm from, no. It's not possible."

"Forget about your world. This is mine. There is nothing stopping a woman from being a hero that others need - !"

"Total 180 from what you grew up with! No wonder you praise them so much, you think the female race is untouchable," Law then hissed at him. Sanji shrugged.

"I feel like you're trying to insult me with something but I'm yet to understand why."

"Because I grew up thinking that Sora was a man! A powerful man! A hero!"

Law quieted and had to allow the idea to resettle back into their depths, change his way of thinking. He couldn't help but think back on all his manly drawings of Sora at "his" mightiest and cringe. All those shirtless pics, all those hours spent admiring fan art of Sora as an invincible man. Then again, once he returned home he could draw genderbent Sora and the idea would become popular. But it would be the truth because Law knew the truth about Sora.

He buried his face into his hands while Sanji watched him cautiously, chewing on mussels.

"Everything that I thought I knew," Law commented bitterly, "is an absolute lie…"

"See? No worries of my future," Sanji assured him cheerily. He finished that plate and reached for another, exhaling heavily. "Whew, I'm getting stuffed. At least take a bite of everything. Surely you can't find fault with all of it."

"Why is your father not using this to his advantage?" Law then asked.

Sanji shrugged. The entire room went silent as Sanji picked at his next dish, and only Law looked up to see why. In moments, Reiju landed with a hard flounce onto Law's lap, and Law nearly doubled over because she landed mostly on his genitals than his lap.

"Oh, I _fell_," she purred while he struggled not to throw up. He realized everyone had changed their attitudes when she appeared. A cold sweat broke out over his skin from the pain that he suppressed as she pressed up against the length of his upper torso, balancing a piece of meat onto a fork. Her scanty dress left nothing to the imagination but her body was _not_ the same as she was drawn. Her vocal fry peeled at his already fragile nerves. "Here, maybe you aren't accustomed to the way we eat around here. Let me feed you."

"Reiju, he knows how to eat," Sanji told her impatiently as Law closed his mouth tight and refused the morsel while combating extreme pain. "He's an alien, not an invalid."

"Sanji, daddy's looking for you," Reiju told him, wiping the piece of chicken over Law's closed mouth. Delicately, she closed his nostrils and he ended up inhaling for breath after several seconds, so she stuffed the meat between his teeth. She set the fork aside as Law heaved, her arms then drawing around his shoulders. "Want me to take care of your alien for you? I'll take real. _Good_. Care. Of. Him."

"No. Stop it, you're making him uncomfortable," Sanji then complained, wiping his mouth. "Look at him, you're ruining his image. You're crushing him with your fat ass."

"_I'm not fat_," Reiju hissed him demonically. She looked back at Law with a sultry expression, noticing him spit out the piece of chicken. She used his already used napkin to blot delicately at his face. She leaned forward, breathing on his face. Law felt like Ripley on Alien 3, straining to avoid being touched by those menacingly pink lips of hers. "Aren't you handsome? You make me _ravenous_."

"Reiju."

"I want to eat up your alien bones and shat them out on your chest once you're done with my ass – "

Sanji punched her in the left breast and she keeled over with a gasp. Law immediately stood up to escape danger as she toppled against the table. His ears, neck and face was burning with her almost predatory intentions. If she should actually accomplish her task, she was going to be severely disappointed, he was sure of it. That sort of pressure on a timid man like him was almost unbearable.

"You can't _eat_ my alien, damn it," Sanji snapped at her, tossing his utensils down. "I told you guys, I captured him fair and square. Go get your own."

"Did you just _tit-punch_ me? You little twerp!"

"There's _nothing_ to punch!"

"You call me fat then _breastless_? You stick in the mud! I'll ruin you!" Reiju threatened him with a frightening expression before smoothing her pink bob back into place and batting her eyes at Law. Law put a table between them, feeling scared for his own virtue. He actually began to sweat as others looked at them uneasily.

"You said father was looking for me? Why?" Sanji then asked curiously, snatching a piece of pie from a platter.

Reiju brightened as she faced him. She fixed her kerchief before deliberately drawing her fingers down over her breasts. Law felt like heaving once more. "Oh, I didn't ask for details. He's occupied with finding Ichiji. I'm actually looking for Niji to destroy him for father. Then I might get that dress catalogue I've been wanting."

"Why don't you have it air-mailed to you?"

"I want daddy to get it for me."

"Why are you so helpless?" Sanji scolded her, Reiju looking demurely chastised. "Stop doing that. Go get it yourself, it's not going to hurt anybody. You want me to do it?"

"Oh, can you?"

"Sure. If you can promise me one thing."

"Sure, anything."

"Stop asking guys to show you their chickens. It's really embarrassing. Nobody outside of farming owns chickens. And please stop talking about shitting on guys' chests. That's just gross coming from a lady…you're not an animal, you're royalty."

Reiju covered her mouth with a dainty blush while Law wondered with acute horror if anybody had taken her up on her needs. "Oh, I'm _sorry_. I didn't realize it was bothering you."

Relieved, Sanji gestured at Law to follow him. "Well, I'm still showing him around the island. Niji went off towards the training grounds, but I'm sure he's waiting for another opportunity to kill my alien. Please be on your best behavior, sister."

"Then I should walk with you guys as well." Reiju held her elbow out for Law to take, but he brushed past it. She fluttered after him with a chuckle as Sanji led the way. Once outside, the trio looked around themselves. The scene changed with Reiju present – everyone avoided looking their way and taking measures to move out of their path. Law quickly stepped to the other side of Sanji keeping him between himself and Reiju.

"This is Ichiji's seventh time eating ocean water," Sanji said with concern. "Perhaps someone should tell him that the water can't always catch him."

"But we are capable of swimming, brother."

"I know, but think of the time and energy it takes for us to stop the entire island just to go back and get him."

"I think it's wonderful how you think of everyone other than yourself."

"I think I'd make a great manager!"

"I think you should ask father for some managing duties."

"He'll object every time."

"It's such a shame he doesn't see your true potential…"

_Reiju was definitely not the killer_, Law thought vaguely. Without her predatory vibes in place, she actually seemed to like her younger brother enough to provide honest conversation with. He jumped when he felt her hand grab a handful of his ass. It felt like being mauled by a man – that strength was absurd. He yanked away with a mild shriek of terror, causing both siblings to look at him with bewilderment. Rubbing his butt, Law glared at her but something caused them both to look back behind them.

Law realized that it wasn't Reiju that grabbed him – Yonji's retractable left hand clunked down onto the roadway with a heavy clank. His face was red.

"I was yelling at you guys!" he shouted, but his voice was so soft that none of them knew the exact content.

Reiju cupped a hand to her ear while Sanji shrugged. Yonji pulled his hand back and refitted it to his wrist before stomping over.

"I _said_, I was yelling at you guys!" he repeated himself impatiently. "Father wants us to get rid of the alien."

"Yonji," Reiju interrupted, standing in front of the pair with a gentle hand on Sanji's shoulder, "did father really say that to you?"

"Yeah, duh, you were there. As much as I want an alien for myself, dad's orders are firm."

"But why, Yonji? According to Sanji, Sora had allowed this to happen. I doubt Sora would do it again so that we can access our own aliens. The only true alien in this world, and you want to kill him," Reiju said with a shake of her pink head, her vocal fry killing every word and drawing it out even longer than was acceptable. Yonji looked nervous.

The seemingly gentle giant folded his hands together with intensive consideration.

S_ora, please, get me out of here_, Law thought with absolute disappointment. _Please. Before I break down even further_…

"Where's Niji?" Sanji then asked. "Reiju's looking for him."

"Oh, I don't know. He said he was looking for the alien, too. Ichi tried to do this himself so we're kinda pissed at bein' deceived." Shyly, much to Law's revulsion because it was utterly out of character to the one he grew up on as depicted in the comics, Yonji added, "Each of us wants to brag about being the one to kill an actual alien."

"NO ONE IS KILLING MY ALIEN!" Sanji shouted impatiently. "Stop threatening that! Frankly, Yonji, you'd fail. He is more than capable of killing you instead."

Law's breath stopped short as Yonji looked insulted.

"Sanji," Law said quickly, grabbing his arm to lead him away from Reiju's and Yonji's prying eyes, "please don't lie about what I can do. I am the least deadly person here on this planet. If either one of them puts their hands on me, I will surely die. I am very fragile, I have very thin skin, I cannot take pain. I cried the last time I received a shot – "

"You _cried_?" Sanji repeated, horrified.

"Well, admittedly, only because they missed and had to do it again."

"You have indestructible skin, that's why! YONJI – "

Law covered Sanji's mouth with both hands, pushing them even further away from the staring siblings. "Stop it. _Stop_ this inane lying! I swear to you, pitting me against one of your siblings will be a sure death from me. I am not an athlete. I am out of breath going up the stairs - !"

"You carried me _and_ the groceries back home the other night, and I am not a lightweight."

"_Shh_, shh," Law prompted him, finger to Sanji's lips as the incessant liar continued fueling Law's supposedly alien abilities to his curious siblings. "Sanji, I _beg_ of you, do not force me to fight the others. I am not indestructible."

Sanji sighed reluctantly, peering around him to look at the others. He then told Law impatiently, "Your eyes have switched color. _You_ stop lying. You can do this. I have faith."

Sanji then pushed Law towards the pair, Law catching himself somehow by bracing against Reiju's chest. She beamed and jiggled her breasts against his palms before he jerked his hands away from her like he'd touched a hot stove. Yonji looked determined once he realized Sanji was going to allow him to try. Law felt like crying once he realized what a position he was put into.

Yonji pulled his fist back, retractable hand clinking free as he prepared to shoot it. Reiju sauntered out of the way, deliberately putting bounce to her step and looking back to make sure Law saw this. Sweating with utter terror, Law watched Yonji prepare to charge when something caught his eye.

He tilted his head as something about Yonji's outfit – short yellow shorts and a green t-shirt with '4' embroidered on the back – made his lips curl with revulsion. "Your fly is open," he stated, pointing.

Yonji dropped his head to look, then gasped. He moved to fix it when his retractable hand plunged upon some command directly into his nuts. Reiju gasped as Sanji looked horrified. Law was dumbstruck, hand dropping slowly to his side, in utter disbelief. Yonji's face turned various colors before whitening completely. His knees buckled and his body tilted. The chain attached to his left hand somehow twisted around his ankles and made Yonji trip without any way to brace himself. As he fell forward, his iron head slammed off the concrete with such force that it actually dented that temple. The commoners watching looked absolutely shocked. The silence was deafening.

"**WHAT. THE. **_**FUCK**_," Law stated, voice ringing around the silence around them.

Sanji clapped joyously, jumping. "_Yay_!"

"_Wow_," Reiju whispered, eyes glittering with awe. "How did you do that?"

Law's hands went to his hair, clenching waxed strands with agitation. "_FUCK_."

Sanji sidled up to him, arm around his back while he stood proudly. "See? My alien is tough as shit. He dropped Yonji without doing a thing. And he's _my_ captive!"

"_My hero_," Reiju purred, sidling up to Law's other side. Sanji tit-punched her again, causing her to crumble away with a shocked curse. "_OW_! Infidel dog!"

"You have nothing to worry about," Sanji told Law brightly, leading him down the street while Law continued to look back at Yonji's crumbled form with absolute horror. "See? I believe in you."

* * *

**A/N**: This story turned to absolute filth, but it's important to ruin Law's dreams as a fanboy XD

**Naghi-Tan**: XD XD They do, but was it actually them? Law now sees how utterly incapable they are of causing any sorts of harm to anybody. XD XD


	14. Chapter 14

**: :** **14**

"So, how do we contact Sora?" Law asked Sanji pensively as they meandered through the Vinsmoke castle once more. He was dragging his feet, the long corridors taking a toll on his physical capabilities.

Sanji gave him a look. "Why is that necessary?"

"Because I want to go home. At least," Law told him, "give me use of your suit so that I may disappear and avoid these damned coincidences."

Skeptically, Sanji raised a curled eyebrow. "You'd never figure it out, peasant. To render yourself invisible as I do would mean an intricate grasp on my suit."

"So…you have to tug on it, or something?"

"No, it's all in the glove," Sanji told him, wiggling his right ring finger. "Twitch forward is on, twitch back is off."

"That's stupidly convenient! Anyone can take your suit from you to manipulate that!"

"Only if they knew about it." With a displeased frown, Sanji muttered, "plus, the suit is designed to fit me. You're too tall, you'd shred it in certain areas."

Law had to consider that aspect of it, then ran his eyes slowly from Sanji's neck to his feet. Sanji felt uncomfortable with that visual inspection.

"It's only my height that throws off the equation," Law decided, ignoring that bashful look of his. "I could get away with it. Sanji. _Please_. Give me your suit until Sora comes and gets me."

"HAH!" Sanji then turned and gave him a skeptic look and Law couldn't look at him because that jaunty kerchief of the prince's added to the absurdity of the situation. No grown man wore kerchiefs so seriously as the Vinsmoke siblings. "Scumbag, why do you feel such insecurity now? You practically felled two of us and sent one sibling scurrying for safety – "

"Technically, moron, I _literally_ laid no hand on either!"

"You didn't have to! That's the power of your might! _Plus_," Sanji added, counting off on his fingers, "you defeated Teach and have me under your control!"

Law's head hung back as he released a powerful sigh of exhaustion and defeat, his mouth physically unable to repeat the same few words that he'd been repeating for days. The corridor rang so heavily with it that clones peered around corners apprehensively with tensed trigger fingers. The pair of them had paused near a running fountain embedded within the castle walls – the smell of sea water told Law that this was being pumped from below. The moss caught alongside the rock walls prompted a brief touch of his fingers. The water was of a pleasing temperature.

Hands on his hips, Sanji gave Law an expression of disapproval. "You need to admit it to yourself, commoner trash, that _you_ are more than capable of being someone to fear. It's better than that boring, mundane life that you insist upon settling for. You shan't return to it knowing that you are capable of these other great things. Here, you can be a _god_."

"Please stop saying 'shan't' seriously. Look," Law straightened up to face him, wiping his hand on his trousers to dry it, "it's quite apparent I don't fit in here – "

"_How_?"

" – and I need to return home. Preferably with you in tow."

Sanji looked up at him skeptically. "Why would I want to?"

"Because you'll die here!"

"I was born and raised a warrior, Law. Warriors don't fear death, but they fear absolute cowardice. And how cowardly would I be if I tucked tail and ran just because someone felt that it was going to happen in some picture books?" Sanji scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Law studied him for a few moments. He sat on the outcropping of the fountain rim then added, "You're going to die a virgin."

Sanji gasped. Then he grasped his hand, looking at it with pensive examination. "It's true. I have yet to hold the hand of a woman I love!"

Law rolled his eyes as he rested his elbows on his knees, which were splayed comfortably for some nut-breathing room.

Falling to his knees, Sanji wept lightly, head bowed. "A fate worse than death will be that a woman will go unloved by me!"

Law wanted to kick him, so he stood to attempt to do so. Sanji dropped to curl fetal position on the floor to continue his angsting, so Law's boot went completely over his head, forcing him to overextend in order to compensate and just as he did, a volt of electricity exploded right where he was standing. The concussive force of it broke the fountain's rim, causing water to spill out onto the floor. Niji appeared moments later with sword in one hand, boots tapping atop of the stone floor as he steadied himself after blowing in from one of the windows nearby.

"You cretin!" Niji hissed as Law righted himself and Sanji was back on his feet in a defensive position. "You avoided your death that easily! I've seen the way you defeated my siblings, and I assure you, I am not an easy death!"

"I'm not here to defeat anybody!" Law protested, using Sanji as a barrier. "Everything has been a torrent of extreme coincidences!"

"Even my own older sister has been falling all over herself in an attempt to defeat you, and now she's as pitiful as trashcan here," Niji accused, pointing at his younger brother. "Your silvery words have felled her to earn you her complicity!"

"Honestly, it's probably my rooster," Law muttered bitterly, squirming uncomfortably at the mention of Reiju.

"Yeah, her obsession with chickens confuses me," Niji admitted, hands at his hips while his sword fizzed noisily at his side. Law then noticed an important detail – the second Vinsmoke male sibling was wearing his Raid Suit. Sanji noticed this as well.

He smirked. "You dressed for battle, Niji?"

"Yeah, well, I did my research! Just in case!" Pensively, Niji prepared to attack, jaw tight. "I will kill your alien, Sanji, so get out of my way. Or I'll send ya crying again!"

"The last time was an accident! I wasn't crying," Sanji told Law vehemently. "I had dust in my eye!"

"You _were_ crying! I beat you so soundly that you didn't stop crying until father told you to stop!"

"I wasn't!"

"_You did_! We were made NOT to, but _you_ did because you're a damn failure!"

"There's nothing wrong with crying," Law interrupted. He gave a shrug. "The last time I did, it was because I watched 'Up'."

Both siblings stared up at him with puzzled action.

"It's a kid's movie," Law assured them. The memory of that particular memory made him uncomfortable, so he looked down at his boots to avoid their manly looks of disapproval and noticed sea water staining the floor, gathering around his and Sanji's feet. He discovered he had a plan as he looked back up at Niji, taking a few wide steps to the left. "It's not the manliest thing to admit but…the first ten minutes of that movie will wreck a man's heart to pieces. Then the ending? Where the old man eats ice cream with his kid companion? _Wow_."

Niji and Sanji stared at him in silence. Niji then looked at his sword and absorbed it, wiping his hands onto his suit.

"I'm just going to need my hands for this," he decided, Sanji looking tense, "Father will be proud of me for strangling an alien with my princely grip."

"Yeah, you'd need that redeeming quality, right?" Law asked him, glancing around himself. "For attempting to kill your other sibling."

"That was an accident!" Niji insisted.

Law looked at him sharply. He narrowed his eyes, hoping it did something to attract their attention to them; playing into their weird fear. Sure enough, both Vinsmoke siblings tensed. "Since I met you, you scream and yell just to get any sort of attention that you feel you lack – you lack any sort of control of your environment, so you demand it soundly. As a result you're impulsive and destructive. Because others are taking attention away from you, you'd do anything to keep it. Even knock off a sibling and call it an 'accident'…"

"I don't want to kill my siblings!" Niji roared, then looked at Sanji. "Well…maybe just him."

"Of course you would," Law said smoothly before Sanji could answer, "because the attention you crave is almost always on him without him trying to get it in the first place. Negative or positive."

Niji stared at Law while Sanji's lips tightened, eyes slightly widening.

"I heard," Law lowered his voice, causing Niji to strain his ears, "that Ichiji is first in line to take the throne, and this is his _seventh_ time eating ocean water. How many times have you attempted to _kill_ your older brother, Niji?"

Niji didn't answer, jaw clenching as his fists curled at his sides.

Law smirked at him, adjusting the collar of his half-cape. "Ambitious, aren't you, Niji? With Ichiji out of the way, who's to stop you from thinking you can follow in your father's footsteps?"

"I…would be a great king," Niji said numbly. "My judgement and desire to conquer worlds is just as strong as my father's."

"And what about your background as a scientist? Can you trust the ones that follow your father? Or will that go to ruin as well?"

Law then paused, hand to his mouth in a mocking show of horror. "And what about your women? Sure, you can _make_ them hold your hand but would they even want to?"

Niji's face reddened. Steam seemed to rise up around him as veins bulged from his temple and neck.

"My women will _adore_ me!" he snarled. He held up one gloved hand. "This hand was made for them!"

"Only if they're robots. Robot fucker."

"SANJI! I'm killing him!" Niji screamed, shooting forward as he alit with bright blue energy. Indeed, he was fast and Law wasn't sure he had enough time to move, but he dropped to the floor as Niji charged at him. He realized his trajectory too late, slamming straight into the fountain. The sight of the Vinsmoke being electrocuted by his own energy caused a spectacular show of light and power. It snapped with a deafening crack of sound once he fell unconscious, sinking into the fountain in a show of Raid Suit material and floating blue hair.

Sanji looked at Law with absolute awe as clones hastily fished the man out from the fountain water. Law brushed himself off as he stood, pale and shaky. He wiped his forehead then caught the expression from the other man.

After some terse moments, Law said gravely, "Look at your siblings, Sanji. Imagine what I could do to you if you don't obey _my_ commands."

For the first time since Law met him, Sanji did wear a look of fear.

_FOR FUCK'S SAKE_, Law's internal scream echoed throughout his very soul.

: :

Garuda's voice boomed from invisible speakers as they were taking a platform down to the first level. Law had commanded Sanji to show him the snails and Sanji, eerily subdued, was doing so. Both of them jolted at the sound of the king's voice. "SANJI! REPORT TO THE THRONE ROOM IMMEDIATELY!"

"Father is going to order your execution," Sanji told Law with worry. "You defeated my siblings - !"

"Technically, I didn't lay a hand on Reiju," Law told him. "So I didn't defeat _all_ of them."

"But she's not allowed the throne unless she births a successor, so…" Sanji twiddled his thumbs as he looked at Law with a stressed expression. "My father is very powerful. He is immune to words and strength. _You will die_."

"I will," Law agreed with him. "Because I am not a fucking superhuman and I told you this many times before."

Sanji looked up at him with exasperation, clearly just as irritated with Law's denial as Law was tired with the accusation. Before he could say anything, Law reached out to him. Sanji stiffened in place as Law hugged him close, hands patting and rubbing at his back. He felt conflicted with it. It felt way too natural for Law to give and it made him feel awkward. But he needed to express himself truthfully before he could explore that.

"It'll be okay," Law assured him quietly, as the platform settled. There were clones waiting to escort them. "I accept my death. Thank you for everything. You've made me a very happy man in the last few days of my life. I have you to thank for introducing me to your world, and taking it away from me at the same time."

Once Law pulled away, Sanji looked distressed. But Law put his hands into his pockets and stepped off the platform with confidence. Shoulders droopy and indecisiveness clear on his features, Sanji led the way to the throne room, clones walking alongside them.

Once there, Law took in the sight of multiple Germa 66 flags fluttering from the rafters in the sea breeze and Garuda sitting in his throne with a very angry expression. The wide open room was very spacious, with lights glowing at the stone walls, Vinsmoke crests and individual family portraits sitting staggered around the throne corner.

"Sanji, I'm very displeased with your lack of action," Garuda said menacingly. _Well_, Law amended, _as menacing as a man with a high pitched voice could be_. "Your siblings were to destroy your alien pet, and yet each and every one of them were dispatched violently because of his actions. If you were aware of this alien's strength, why did you allow him to infiltrate your home to undo it from the inside?"

"Father," Sanji said sheepishly, hands in his pockets, "I was aware that my alien is a powerful being. But to think he was _this_ powerful…on his planet, he was a very meek subject whose voice shook in front of women and he preferred texting to talking – "

"Obviously that indication of self-subjected awareness prevented his fellow aliens from detecting his power levels!" Garuda roared at him. "Of course he wouldn't be so outright with it! And the fact that he restrained himself in front of women only indicated one thing – he thought them below him, and not of any threat!"

Law crooked an eyebrow. Garuda noticed his expression, clenching the grand, intricate arm rests that had '66' embedded into them.

"What is that face about?" Garuda asked Law, his voice lowering.

"The fact that you disregard women as a threat is telling of your own insecurity with them," Law answered, Sanji looking at him with anxiety. "Any man that fears a woman's strength and will is a man with little to no dick to him. Speaking from personal experience, of course…"

Sanji froze as Garuda's thick neck moved with a hard swallow.

"Enough about that," Law then said, stepping forward, cape fluttering with his movement, "Your daughter is aware that if she takes up with a man that can give her a son would allow her a position to rule once you're gone. Your second son has tried to murder your first son numerous amount of times, and yet has no mind to rule successfully, sure to leave your legacy in tatters. Your fourth son…is a big man with a very quiet voice, and _that_ suggests a weakness that no army with self-respect can follow. Your third son is too well liked to continue your infamous legacy…you are a failure of a ruler. So it makes sense that you fear an alien with no superhuman abilities about him. You need something else to blame for your future downfall. What a sad, pitiful way to lose your reputation…"

Garuda stared down at him in silence. The clones shifted about uneasily, weapons at the ready but the tension in the throne room rose to a suffocating degree. Sanji swallowed heavily, and his father's attention turned towards him.

"Sanji, you deliberately brought in a saboteur," Garuda decided. "To make up for this, _you_ kill the alien yourself."

"Father, I cannot," Sanji protested immediately, Law glancing at him with apprehension.

Garuda rose from his throne, bellowing, "You _will_ kill the thing before it kills us! You brought it in here, you are commanded to get rid of the thing that you made your responsibility!"

Distressed, Sanji shook his head. But he looked to Law, saying, "Father, admittedly, he is capable of certain things that caused many coincidences. Niji was the one to throw Ichiji into the ocean! Yonji punched himself! Niji was the one to electrocute himself! Law was only nearby when these things happened!"

"If you don't, I will," Garuda decided, unsheathing his naginata, Law looking at him with apprehension. "I will destroy of this thing for you, and you will have plenty of time to think about your actions in the dungeons. How does that sound?"

"Father, _please_ \- !"

Law looked at Sanji, turning his back to Garuda as he descended the stairs. "Twitch forward on, and twitch backward off, right?"

Sanji looked at him with confusion as Garuda twirled his weapon within both hands before lunging forward. Once Sanji realized Law had taken his suit, he froze with horror as Law opened the can. It wasn't the fact that something invisible stripped him from his clothing and that he stood, naked, in front of a room full of strangers for brief moments. It wasn't that the suit instantly covered him from head to toe with tightly fitted material that reeked of Sanji. It was that Law did hear the twinkling strains of music in the distance as he transformed.

"_SANJI_! You fool!" Garuda roared with displeasure as Law lifted up a glove and twitched his right ring finger. He faded from sight as the naginata swept towards him. Lost to those watching with horror, Law quickly back pedaled from Garuda's distance and stood near the open doorway. He cringed and winced as his feet were strangled within the boots, and pulled at the tight pants around his groin. Garuda swung his weapon around violently, Sanji and clones alike taking efforts to avoid being hit.

_If only I could think nefariously and do something to topple this kingdom_, Law thought regretfully, reaching up to loosen the kerchief at his neck. _But that's nothing I'm capable of doing.._.

He left the throne room, avoiding the clones that hurried towards it at Garuda's command. The king was talking, but as the distance between them lengthened, Law couldn't hear a word that was being said. Ichiji hurried past him, wearing his Raid Suit. Yonji was limping in the distance, looking ill with each step. Reiju walked slower, flipping her hair over one shoulder than the other while she transformed. Law waited for them to pass then eased down one corridor to keep the distance great.

Once outside, he looked up at the castle with apprehension. He was quite positive Garuda wouldn't change the timeline to eliminate his own son right now. Alarms were rising throughout the area as someone's voice over the island's speakers told the villagers to lock down over a foreign threat. Clones were arriving en masse to the castle from surrounding buildings.

_Sorry Sanji_, Law thought, heading towards a bridge over a stream of water. He pulled at his trousers with almost each step, looking for relief from the pressure. _Sora wasn't set to arrive for at least another day, but how to attract his - I mean, _her_ attention with another way_…?

He patted the utility belt's pockets with both hands until opening them individually. He found the mini den-den mushi napping in one particular pocket, and he marveled over the sight of the telepathic creature.

"Aren't you cute?" he murmured, admiring the snail's wrinkly grey skin and the yellow dynamics of its shell and matching Stealth Black outfit. '66' was emblazoned alongside its sides, and when he depressed a button within the cone of its shell, its eyes lifted sharply with an uttered, "ker-chak."

Law pressed the button again, watching the snail's eyes lower and close. Pushing it another time earned another blank look and another "ker-chak." He resisted the urge to show any pleasing reaction, but he was absolutely sure he'd just fallen in love with a damn telepathic snail.

_How do you take care of it_? he wondered, cheeks red with delight. He sniffed it and realized it just smelled like Sanji with just a dash of pavement. He petted the thing and rubbed its closed eyelids before rubbing the snail's sides, looking for any sign of mucus.

He tilted it up and down, wondering if the embedded button jolted the snail's insides or shocked the poor creature to alertness. He wished he could take it apart but quickly focused on his task. The dial face resembled nothing he could recognize as numbers, but he assumed upon impulse that perhaps the numbers were the same as theirs and activated *69.

The ringing on the other end assured Law that he was successful, listening to the alarms blast around the island. Villagers hurried to their homes and locked up; pulling down steel doors and windows while coaxing animals inside. Families reunited from the surrounding areas with fear. Clones ran about, covering outside doorways and taking to outside bridges.

"What is your emergency?" the voice asked, the snail slowly forming a familiar pair of focused eyes and a sternly held mouth. Law wondered what his face looked like on the other end. He tried for a stern look while the snail looked startled. "You're not Stealth Black!"

"He communicates regularly with you?" Law asked.

"I only called once I realized he was missing," Sora admitted, wincing.

"Thank god for star sixty-nine," Law then said, then gestured beyond him. "I did some things..."

"_What did you do to generate an island wide emergency_?" Sora asked in disbelief.

"It's…complicated," Law stressed with a cringe. "But the point is, I've seen enough."

The snail looked at him resolutely. "If I return you home, he goes with you."

Law exhaled with regret, looking back at the castle. "If I were to save him, then it'd have to be by force."

"So be it. We are nearby, and en route. Give me twenty minutes."

"Fine. But hurry up. I'm sure Garuda can track me, and I can't hide for very long."

"Understood. Out."

Once the snail lowered its eyes shut, Law depressed the button to hang up. He then jogged towards a road that seemed to lead straight to the ocean. Once there, he was able to see the snails that kept the island afloat. He marveled at the sight of their size, the fact that these things had thick, armored skin and were quite aware of the alarm. Their eyes were moving steadily from side to side, sweeping over the ocean surface before looking back at the island. One eye focused directly in his direction, causing others to follow suit. Those wide, blank eyes switched to red.

Law realized too late that they could track him, and he hastily peered over the side of the island to see that the water surface was at least twenty stories down. He felt like puking, determining the distance to be undo-able. Terror hit him like a punch to the stomach. He couldn't imagine just leaping off and expecting the water to –

He looked down at his Raid Suit. The suit was designed to withstand strong impacts and allow them to fly. He hadn't even considered that!

But then again, the thought of taking great heights to escape made vertigo hit. He straightened up and quickly darted away from the edge. He headed back to the castle. He figured twenty minutes would fly by quickly.

: :

It took him some time to bypass agitated clones and combat wide, lookalike corridors back to the throne room. He figured everyone was out looking for him, but he was set to find Sanji and have him in hand by the time Sora showed up. He was checking out a nearby room when he realized his den-den mushi was vibrating in his pocket. He picked it up and depressed the button, Sanji's face taking over the snails' blank expression.

"Where are you?" Sanji demanded of him.

"No one would think of looking for me in the throne room."

"…You fiend. Outsmarting your pursuers!" Sanji hissed, the snail reflecting his expression. Despite the commotion, Law thought it was cute. He tried not to show that on his own expression and wanted to slap himself for even _thinking_ that. "Everyone is out to kill you. Father can track you. Remove that suit at once!"

"But I'll be _naked_! No one wants to see that," Law then complained, realizing he didn't see his borrowed clothes anywhere. In his distress, he didn't remember how Sanji changed back into his original garments once he took the suit off.

"Stay right there!"

Before Law could say anything, Sanji hopped into the throne room easily through one of the windows, landing with just a hard bounce. Law gaped at him because if that guy jumped in through the window, that meant he was somewhere higher than the room. Without his suit, the guy was easily still a superhuman. Sanji tucked his snail away as Law shut his off and set it aside in his belt.

"Where are my clothes?"

Sanji snapped his head in his direction, then jogged over. "Follow me. Quickly."

As they were moving through the hall, Sanji said with ease, "Once he finds you, father intends on a public execution. So I need to contact Sora in order for him to take you away from here."

"Why don't we just return back to Earth, both of us, and just forget about this place?" Law suggested breathlessly, feet dragging. He grabbed Sanji's arm. "Stop running. I already called Sora. She – "

"_HE_, you imbecile!"

"_He_ said he'd be here by now."

"The Marines _are_ here! Father and his troops are intending on meeting them halfway, and yet we are to hang back to find you! He swears you are their sabotage!" Sanji then looked frustrated. His hands clutched at his hair with agitation. "This is all _my_ fault!"

"How do you work these thrusters?" Law then asked, hands on knees as he looked down at his own feet.

"Oh, it's the heel. You manipulate them by pointing your feet up or down – _no_. Never mind! Enough of forcing me to divulge in my most precious of secrets!" Sanji snapped at him, hand out. "Give it back to me!"

"You have my clothes?"

Sanji hesitated, then reached up to pull his own shirt off shoulders first. Taking the opportunity, Law grabbed him by the waist and jumped for the window by pointing his toes down. It shocked him when he jetted outward, ten stories above ground, towards a tower wall. Sanji screamed in alarm, shirt caught over his head as Law flailed his legs and one arm wildly.

_Superman pose wasn't going to do it_, Law realized, releasing a screech of terror of his own.

"SKI! SKI!" Sanji shrilled, and it took Law a few moments to realize what he meant.

"I'VE NEVER SKIIED BEFORE!" he shrieked, several octaves higher than his normal voice. They were going to crash right into a tower, and his feet kicked out in order to brace himself. He ended up pointing his toes down in order to bring his knees up, and suddenly the thrusters shifted emission, stopping them almost too sharply.

They dropped, Law letting go of Sanji to claw at the air, both of them falling towards the ground. But he quickly pointed his toes up, grabbed Sanji's outstretched arm and shot away from the tower. Sanji fixed his shirt, kicked Law in the leg before wrapping his arms around the taller man's shoulders.

"Ease up a little!" he shouted as they shifted direction with one of Law's leg twitches. Once Law realized he could control the pattern with a subtle shift of his foot angling, he gripped the other man with one arm and balanced himself with the other straight out. Now they were stopped in mid-air, and his heart slammed noisily against his chest, his breath wheezing with trouble.

"I've _never_," Sanji muttered, looking towards his face with absolute revulsion, "heard a man scream like you do."

"Be flattered you're the first," Law sniffed.

"THAT WASN'T FLATTERING!"

"SANJI!"

They looked down to see Ichiji staring at them from the ground below, his cape fluttering in the wind. His hair wasn't fully dried. His fists sparkled with red energy before he leveled them their way.

"Twitch on and off!" Sanji hissed at Law, who did so upon command. Both of them were instantly invisible to the naked eye, but Ichiji reached up to tap upon his glasses.

"I can see you!" he called out. "Hold still."

Before Ichiji could do anything, Law snorted and hocked down spit towards the alien. It wasn't as spectacular as Sanji's earlier, but the splatter hit Ichiji directly in the face. The first Vinsmoke prince shrieked with a sound so high that birds took flight from the trees around them. His hands reached up to his face to wipe away the matter, blasting himself moments later.

Law couldn't think of anything to say as Ichiji crumbled to the ground, smoking from the head.

"I think I'm going to faint," Sanji said thinly, losing several shades of color and nearly going limp against Law.

"_Wait_. Me, first," Law murmured with incredulity, then pushed away from the castle as Sanji looked up at the sky, head buzzing noisily with an incoming vapor.

Law twitched his finger so that they were in the open, scanning the sky for Sora. "C'mon, princess! Help me find that guy!"

"It makes me _ill_ to think that there is such a powerful being like you," Sanji wheezed, clinging to him with both arms around his neck and watching as they left Ichiji behind. He looked so close to fainting that Law glanced at him with horror. "I've never felt so helpless, before. You, felling all of us Vinsmokes like we were only toys…"

"IT WAS THEIR OWN UNDOING!"

"With just spit and some words…!" Sanji waved his hands at his face. "I need…ammonia…"

"I'm not peeing on you," Law murmured stubbornly, seeing people battling with fanfare in the distance. From the looks of it, the Marines were pouring in with ships of their own. He could not tell which one of the figures was Sora.

His comment had Sanji snapping out of it, slapping him upside the head. He was careful to pull back on his strength, hitting Law just enough to jostle his goggles. "_Disgusting_! Like your movies? HELL NO!"

"_NO_!" Law screamed back at him in horror, their voices ringing out over the din. "For fuck's sake, that's _not_ pee!"

"_Why are you even suggesting that_?"

"You said you needed ammonia!"

"For my _vapors_!"

"For fuck's sake, how often do you vape? _No_, I don't want to know your dumbass answer," Law decided, looking down to see that the ground below was shifting. Sanji looked puzzled, both of their meanings alien to each other. Law had no idea what 'vapors' was and Sanji was clueless what vape even meant.

Law realized that the snails were pulling apart, engines on at full blast. Seeing this incredible scene of an island forming essentially smaller battle ships had him gaping. More snails revealed themselves, pushing up from the water's surface with majestic action. Everything about the island was perfectly divided to allot proper space needed to separate the ships without losing anything to the edge. Moving swiftly through the expanse of water, the snails began to form three protective curves so that the villagers were pushed a safe distance away and weapons were brought to the forefront.

"There you are!"

Both of them turned to see Sora darting through the air, carting along some hapless clones. They were tossed aside like rag dolls. His/her face reflected utter alarm and awe as s/he faced them, cape flapping in the wind.

"How the hell did you do it?" Sora asked Law, gesturing at the activities below.

Law felt unworthy to answer, Sanji scowling at the hero.

"This is madness," Sora then insisted, staring down at the Marines fighting Germa 66 forces, then at Law with incredulity. "You are a normal earth human! You don't have any powers!"

"You are wrong," Sanji interrupted before Law could say anything. "This man is capable of tearing apart worlds with just words alone, and you wrought him upon our kingdom because that was your plan all along! You _made_ me bring him back and cause my family distress! Because of you - !"

Law dropped him, forcing Sanji to grab quickly onto his waist with a cry of surprise. Law then looked at Sora. "I want to go home. I've had enough activity to last me a life time. I want Starbucks and chicken wings. I want people to ignore me. I _want_ – "

"Well, aren't you looking rather dashing?" Sora interrupted cheerily, grinning. "Gave you a haircut and everything!"

"_I want to go home_!"

"How dare you bring him to cause ruin and utter destruction to our world!" Sanji shouted at Sora petulantly. 'You knew exactly what he was capable of, and you used him to destroy us from the inside out!"

"I will rid of him," Sora said to Sanji, looking down at him with amusement. Now that Law knew who the _Warrior of the Sea_ was, he couldn't help but feel utterly stupid. _Of course_ Sanji had similar to features to hers; _of course_ it made sense that Sora sometimes flittered back and forth with revealing emotions. _Of course_ the whole armor and suit thing was designed to hide obvious feminine details that weren't obvious until pointed out. He still couldn't help but marvel at Sora, because she was built large and was impressively tall. Her neck was thick and muscular, her shoulders broad, the flash of her wrists and forearms veiny and scarred from years of fighting.

"I can't believe I had to find out this way," Law then said with Sora with displeasure, the Marine looking at him with a start. "It's only obvious when it's been pointed out."

It took Sora a few moments but she looked down at Sanji with disappointment. Sanji stubbornly looked away.

She cleared her throat. The voice alteration device made it sound manly.

"I trust that my secret stays with you," she then said low to Law, as Sanji fought to climb his way up to Law like the taller man were a tree.

"Of course," Law answered without hesitation. He added timidly, "You are my hero."

Sora blushed. "If only I were younger - !"

Sanji reached out and punched her in the chest, causing her to keel over – exactly as Reiju had hours earlier. "Enough of your gross flirtation! _Focus_! This alien must be removed from this world before he destroys it!"

"**OW**!" Sora exclaimed with surprise, rubbing her chest. "Sanji - ! _Your own_ \- !"

"Stop that," Law chided Sanji with shock, hand over his clenched fist while the prince looked away with a grumpy expression, adjusting himself to cling to Law's shoulders. "What is _wrong_ with you? Do we need time-out? You can't react with violence all the time, we need to handle these things in an adult manner…"

"_SORA_!"

All three of them reacted with a start, just in time to see Niji and Yonji appearing into view. Both of them wore determined expressions.

"Father will be so proud of us when we bring back both the alien and the Marine!" Niji snarled. Yonji said something along those lines, but none of them could hear exactly what it was.

Sora sighed heavily, then pulled off the oblong device from her wrist. She gave it to Law. "If I should need it again, you will know. But for now, please take good care of it," she told him gravely, Law taking it with a skeptic look. Sanji had shifted to climb onto his back, legs absurdly strong around his waist.

Niji shot upward while Yonji climbed upward with his heel thrusters. Bright neon blue energy crackled around the second male sibling before he shifted into a lunge.

Law _swore_ he heard the Wonder Woman theme start at the back of his mind as Sora jetted downward to hit Niji directly into the face, knocking him into his brother. She didn't give them moments to recover – she jetted out to the side, grabbed Yonji by his wrist and Niji by his shoulders. She flung one sibling down into the ground and followed that with the other. Once they landed, she was atop of them both, grabbing them again to yank them to their feet and slam their heads off each other.

Before their bodies could settle, she took to the air once more, throwing one after another towards the rows of clones shooting in their direction. Following their trajectory, she plowed into the disturbed rows, using the Vinsmoke siblings' thrown force to punch, kick and throw various clones away from her. From there, she shot upward then flung herself back down to power a thrusting punch into the island ground. It shattered the supports, causing dirt, rocks and trees to follow through the broken platform. Wrenching a piece of metal joists from the broken platform, she shot back up from the air and slammed the piece directly over fallen clones, knocking them all out with the power of her strength.

"_Wow_," Law breathed, having only seen this type of power and speed depicted on the cartoon.

Using his distraction, Sanji snatched the cuff from his grasp and leapt away from him, Law looking after him with surprise.

"_NO_! Sanji!"

Law fumbled with his heel thrusters as Sanji fell to the ground below. Sora was distracted by incoming clones, tossing body after body ahead of her before plowing into the ground and scattering them like bowling pins. Sanji landed with a hard grunt, momentarily jostled by the height before shakily picking himself up and running away from the scene.

Once Law straightened himself out, he cut the power to his boots and allowed the alarming drop. He stopped short of the ground, hand to his heart and terror pumping his blood.

_No more heights_! he told himself, shakily dropping to the dirt and giving chase to the stubborn prince.

But suddenly his vision blurred, dangerously switching around him. His breath caught in his throat, and his blood seemed to slow. His head swarmed as sound and sight blurred around him, and he ended up stumbling before dropping to his knees. He felt so weak that lifting his head just to see his captor required intense concentration and will. This will was only propelled by intense fear, terror gripping him strongly as he imagined Reiju demanding intense satisfaction from him that he knew, as a shy man, he could not fulfill.

"I'm so _sorry_," Reiju apologized, every word drawn out by that irritating fry. She pranced over, swinging her hips and fluffing her hair as her apology was airily given. She draped herself over him before straddling him, and Law couldn't fight her off as her poison kept him weak. "I hate to have to do this, but…daddy's orders. Fortunately, I am skilled, alien. I can keep you weak while using what I have left to force you to give me what I want. A win-win for both of us! It's not that I want children – I had myself fixed awhile back…"

"_Witch_!" Law grunted out. "You'll be disappointed, I promise you! My performance has never allowed for any call backs and blocks on Messenger!"

"Ah, I don't think so. You know what they say about tall men," she wheezed hungrily, wiping drool from her chin while clones surrounded them, turning their backs to the scene with their weapons at ready. She began picking at his belt. "Big feet, bigger…"

"_Words_!" Law panted with effort, struggling to find strength to move. But every part of him was paralyzed to her as she tilted her head with confusion.

"Well, _no_, that's not what they say," she insisted, then her tongue caught between her teeth as her breath quickened. Once she finished unbuckling him, she searched for the zipper to his trousers. "I'm going to take advantage of the moment, while Sanji gets away with…_whatever_ Sora gave him! This is my chance, and all you have to do is sit back and - !"

She grunted as she was kicked away in an awkward roll, Sanji arriving just before she could complete her task. "SANJI!" she shrieked impatiently, catching herself. "What are you doing?"

"Take this and go, destroyer of worlds," Sanji told Law with annoyance, wrapping the cuff around his wrist. Then fixed his pants and belt. "I bid you farewell."

He tapped the surface of the cuff a few times, a holographic map popping up before touching a few stray boxes. Reiju hastily climbed to her feet, pink energy swirling around her. He palmed the screen with a hard slap, and Law was horrified to see the scenery changing. He made to reach out to grab onto the prince, but Sanji pushed away from him to watch him disappear. It almost looked like he was watching with regret as Reiju shrieked in the background.

Then Law realized he was looking up at the bright lights of a grocery store, shoppers staring down at him with puzzled action. An old lady bumped his boot with her cart while a small child crouched down at his wrist with an excited shriek.

"_Move_, weirdo!" someone said, threatening him with their full cart.

Law found strength to rise up, allowing people to move around him. Settling up against rows of pasta, he struggled to think clearly. People kept staring at him with bewildered expressions, forcing him to look down at himself. His bright costume caused him immense shame and humiliation, but after he registered he was back on Earth, he realized what happened. He looked down at the cuff to go back and stared with horror at the cracked monitor. It fizzed for a few moments before dying completely to a black display.

Feeling horrified, Law dropped his arm to his lap and caught his breath.

* * *

**Naghi-Tan**: Oh, he's blind, alright. But that's how these things work lol

**Mossflower1234**: His brothers : ) In this fic, Ichiji isn't as mighty as he's depicted to be. Just…very unfortunate XD

**Guest**: His superpower might be small but it's mighty! If only he used it in the "real world" lol

**Nehalenia**: He has a lot to recover from. If left unleashed, he could've conquered that world through many unfortunate events. He might not have his DF powers but he's still capable of slicing through and removing individual strengths and security from powerful villains! The only reason why everything tastes different is because it's fresh and without chemicals haha XD Unlike most of our foods…


	15. Chapter 15

**: : 15**

Reiju walked up cautiously to the dungeon cell, where her younger brother was locked in since the alien disappeared. While disappointed Law had returned to his planet, Reiju was the type to move on quickly. But she did feel something for her younger brother, as his moping was uncharacteristic for him.

"Hi brother," she greeted softly, twirling her hair.

"Hi, Reiju," Sanji returned sullenly as he leaned against the bars, one arm between them for support.

"Daddy wants to know when you'll be done pouting," Reiju then said, voice ringing off the massive cells around them. "He said that you're taking too long to mope about what had happened and it's not a very good strength indication of your character."

Sanji sighed noisily, forehead pressed against the bar. He turned his head slightly to look at her. "I'm not pouting," he insisted. "I locked myself away for the others' protection."

Reiju glanced at the unlocked cell door, then to the clone standing guard nearby. He shrugged a shoulder then looked over to the cell across the hall, where Ichiji was sitting against the furthest wall of his cell, looking dazed.

Both of her brothers were so utterly dramatic about their circumstances that she wondered if it were their age that was a factor in this situation or the fact that Garuda allowed them this because it gave him some breathing room. She sighed then reached out to grip one of the bars.

"Sanji," Reiju said slowly, "the lab results came back perfect. You aren't infected in any way…"

"Maybe it's not apparent in bloodwork, Reiju," Sanji snapped at her, "but Law left a part of himself behind and I'm…_infected_. I can still hear his voice inside my head!"

"Telling you what?" Reiju asked, reaching out to twirl a part of his bang with an idle gesture before smoothing it over. She was then distracted by the color of her nails, examining those while Sanji answered her.

"I don't know…just…I can still hear him some times," Sanji said heavily. He lowered his voice to attempt to mimic the older man's voice. "'...For the love of Christ, don't burn this place down!' 'Brush your teeth!' 'Don't order porn!'"

"What is 'porn'?"

"Naked people moving together and eliminating their wastes onto each other. It's quite foul and messy. It was fun to discover, but then it was the same thing over and over, like a terribly overused plot. No dimension or depth to the storylines."

Reiju stared at her younger brother in shocked silence. "You…this is something that you can actually _watch_?"

"Yes. On these little things called, hmm, a D. V. D. Law told me single men watch it because they need help with their hands. But his hands must only be tired because he draws a lot," Sanji then added with concern. "He should stop drawing so much. Then his hand wouldn't need help."

Reiju lost her voice for the second time in less than two minutes. But she looked at her nails to regroup her thoughts. Her brothers were forced into other paths in life, and apparently, bodily desires was a concept that their father resisted detailing. Were they even equipped for bodily desires? With their modifications, Reiju only hoped that their parents gave them that much! But the more she thought about it, the more fantastic it sounded to watch something so _wicked_.

"_I want one_," Reiju whispered hungrily while Sanji gave her a skeptical look.

"Anyway," he added on a heavy sigh, "I still hear his voice telling me not to do the things I want to."

Reiju then cocked an eyebrow. "Isn't that your own conscience?"

"Maybe it had to take on a human form in order for me to hear it," Sanji theorized, pressing his forehead against the bars with a thoughtful look while Reiju looked at him skeptically. "Maybe I wasn't hearing myself properly and I somehow…phenomenon'ed him…"

"I doubt that…like, literally, he was a creature from another planet and that's it."

"Because of this, I cannot trust myself around you guys. What if he commands me to kill you all and I have to do it?" Sanji closed his eyes with a morose expression while Reiju struggled not to roll hers.

"Trust me, that's physically impossible," she stated firmly. "You personally aren't physically able to do so, but that alien can…"

Sanji grit his teeth. How was it that this was possible when he was trained as a warrior to win and conquer and all Law, an artist, had to do was _speak_?

"I also still see him clearly," Sanji added bitterly, Reiju frowning at him. "Like he's right there…and I kinda look over my shoulder, expecting to see him there. Complaining. Trying to catch his breath all the while lecturing me…these things are so vividly clear that perhaps he's using my mind to travel the distance between us to remind us that I am still under his control…"

"I wish he was using me," Reiju whispered, fingers to her lips with delight. Then she covered her chest protectively as Sanji shifted against the bars. Once it was clear he wasn't going to hit her, she continued with, "So this is why you locked yourself away, huh? You do realize that the threat has passed on. Daddy isn't that mad at you because he understands the alien's power. He fell under it himself."

Sanji lifted his head with surprise. "…He did?"

"I mean…I _guess_ that's why he isn't that angry at you. He saw firsthand what abilities the alien had…as for Ichiji…"

Both of them looked over at the man, who hadn't moved since he put himself there. They weren't sure if he were sleeping or staring up at the ceiling. The guard shrugged again at their silent inquiry.

"I lived in that alien's world and consumed their food, breathed their air and lived in their conditions," Sanji stated, straightening away from the bars to touch his chest and face. "And physically I'm fine. But perhaps I was already conditioned to withstand his fluid attacks…"

Reiju wore a jealous frown. "Yet, his voice lingers, still, in your mind…"

Sanji rested against the bars once more, pushing his arms through them and swinging them idly. "What should I do?"

Reiju shrugged. "Release yourself. Go to your room. Tell father you're sorry for losing your Raid Suit."

Sanji was exasperated with her. Clearly, she didn't know what it felt like to be under someone else's control.

Reiju walked over to Ichiji, kicking the bars soundly to get his attention. "Wake up, idiot! First for the throne, and you allow yourself to be this weak? _This_ is a man that is to rule our kingdom? I should kill you where you sit and allow Niji to take over!"

"Reiju…I'm dying…" Ichiji croaked. "I can still feel his matter upon my facial features. It burns…do you want to know how I got these scars?"

"_Idiot_!"

Sanji reflected upon his actions while the pair argued. Sanji had allowed Law to take his Raid Suit because Law had the body of a normal human being – that part was obvious because a set of stairs killed him, and Sanji definitely remembered him whining about the cold that night on Earth. Law's stomach was sensitive, he was prone to illness and the fact that he couldn't kick to save his life –well, Sanji let him have his suit because it was all the defense Law had against his obstacles. He thought it was a great idea at the time.

But now he was experiencing an upsetting change of emotions, and he wasn't sure how to sort them out. While relieved that Garuda forgave him upon learning that Sora was responsible for the mess, Sanji felt some lingering doubt that this was a bad thing in the first place. He still didn't believe in those "spoilers" Bepo had shown him – Sanji was absolutely sure he could change his fate. But Law opened his eyes to many different things and Sanji felt bad for the influence because this was his life. He was the third Vinsmoke prince – spoiled rotten, feared and respected by many (his own delusion) and for an unmodified man, he had his own ways of superhumanism.

And now…as he'd explained to Reiju…the man lingered long after he left and Sanji wasn't sure how to feel about that. Law's voice and presence remained like a bad aftertaste and Sanji wasn't sure how to forget it.

He thought about how Law spoke to him, took care of him and expressed his concern for him. That part remained strongest in his memory. Furrowing his brow, Sanji hesitated then pushed the door open, Reiju looking over.

"I need to make a call," Sanji explained to her, hurrying to the steps. "Don't let father put any prisoners into my spot."

Reiju shook her head with irritation as Sanji took the steps three at a time to assert his dominance and disappeared top side. He ordered a guard to bring him a den-den mushi, and once he had it, he tossed the shoulder strap around his neck and carted the creature away from any prying ears. He fled to the stone shelter that he'd showed Law that day. The memory of it had him looking out at the sea with a forlorn expression, unsure of why it felt bittersweet.

Then he dialed his own number, hoping Law was taking care of the little creature.

_I know this is inter-dimensional travel_, he thought while the little face rang with a sleepy expression, _but hopefully their telepathy extends that far_.

The snail's face changed to show Law's. It was a disturbing sight that made Sanji stick out his tongue with distaste.

"_Ew_, trash, your eagerness to hear from me leaves my intestines trembling," he said menacingly, adjusting his position to talk comfortably. The snail reflected Law's resulting expression, which could only be described as awkward.

"I had no idea these things work this way between different dimensions," Law returned. But he still looked pretty happy. "Is…everything okay?"

"I imprisoned myself for my family's safety, just in case you decide to use me to finish your devious work," Sanji stated grimly, looking out at the ocean while the snail took on Law's flat expression once more. "Because your influence still lingers upon me. I am troubled by the fact that you've left such a psychic impression…"

"What does that even mean, you rude ass? _You're_ the one that broke into my home, forced me to take care of you then willingly negotiated a deal with your enemy to take me with you. Don't you dare reject responsibility on this matter," the snail snarled back at him and Sanji shivered because something mysterious about it made him react with goosebumps. "What I'd give to come over there to kick your ass…"

"You dare threaten a Vinsmoke prince?"

"I remember, quite clearly, that I somehow defeated three of them."

Sanji felt his face fall into a pout. "Your mind manipulations _are_ formidable."

"I. Don't. _Have_. Powers." Law then said, "It's been three weeks. I'm glad to hear from you."

Surprised, Sanji looked at the snail as it stared back at him flatly. He traced the 66 tattooed on its chest with an idle finger, then said, "Strange that you would feel sympathy for your future executioner..."

"I've followed the spoilers," Law then stated gravely, looking around himself, "and I knew it. The creator went onto a different subject to build up to another event and is on break this week. It will take some time until your…death…is stated clearly."

"If I should perish, as you say," Sanji said, picking at his trousers and then straightening the seam, "then it won't be because of my family. Clearly, you've seen the dynamics."

"Yes, well…it would be Niji, of course."

Sanji scoffed noisily.

"Um, so…how…how are you doing?"

"Wasting away in prison! Trying to escape your influence!"

"My apartment is fixed, so when will you be back? Unfortunately, I cannot contact Sora now that you called…"

"The snail's condition?"

"He's…rather weak. He's twitching and looking quite deathly…"

"MORON! You need to take care of it! Feed it and care for it regularly! You cannot just expect it survives on your cold, dead personality – or is that something you want? Murderer!"

"Well, I don't know _how_, we don't take care of goddamn snail-phones on my goddamn planet, Sanji!"

After giving him implicit instructions on how to care for a den-den mushi, Sanji then said, "Have you given any more consideration on moving here?"

"I have, and I decided I like my shithole of a planet. I have no ambitions or motivations to become something greater," Law said heavily. "The first week of my return, I was a little too confident. Then a barista called my name wrong and gave me too much caramel flavoring, which activated a cavity, which I couldn't afford to have fixed based on my insurance, and while I was floundering with that I ended up stepping on the shoe of a rather large man who threatened to knock me out and I reacted like a ninny and tripped into a light pole to escape and then my boss demoted me to an outside cubicle, to which I cannot communicate comfortably to my new friends without attracting Bon Clay's attention, and he even intercepts my emails and let me tell you, it's rather humiliating that he now knows my obsession – "

Sanji covered his face with one hand, bearing shame as Law droned on with his misfortunes. He couldn't believe that this wimpy man, this powerful alien being with abilities that had nearly taken down an entire kingdom, could be so meek in his own world! But at the same time, Sanji listened and had no desire to interrupt – even if he didn't know most of the things Law was talking about. There was something inside of him that ached, tugging at his mind, that made him uncomfortably _sad_.

It almost felt like he _missed_ the stupid human being.

The idea was absurd!

" – they keep calling me fucking Commodus from the Gladiator movie because of my hair cut, and I am _done_ talking," Law then ended with a cough, his voice slightly hoarse. "Conversation tires me out. I almost went mute when I'd arrived back home, did you know that? It was the most I spoke in an entire week! …._hello_?"

"I'm still here," Sanji moped. He picked at a loose stone in the wall. "When you say 'Gladiator', is that…?"

"No. It's…it's a movie. And the character…is, uh, a backstabbing bitch. People here on Earth think I resemble him."

"Is he…" Sanji struggled to think of a better word. "Handsome?"

"_Hah_ \- ? Why…? Why is that – _no_! It's the physical appearance of the asshole, not – they're insulting me!"

"Shall I kill them for you?"

"No, they're my friends, actually. I'm glad I have some."

"Your mind powers are still with a tight grip on my brain," Sanji decided, hand to his forehead, "because I am powerless to shut you up."

The snail stared at him blankly, blinking every so often. "_You_ called _me_, I'd like to remind you. Why am I the one talking myself hoarse, here?"

"You know when Teach tried to absorb my powers? I was helpless against that. Paralyzed."

"Oh, much how I was when Reiju jumped on me? A man can't live up to her expectations!"

"Oh…I suppose so…" Glad that Law now had an idea of what Sanji meant, Sanji said, "That's _exactly_ how I feel hearing your voice right now. So your powers have not diminished with distance and dimensions."

The snail stared at him with that expression Law had for him when he was absolutely _done_ with Sanji's shit.

Law then sighed noisily, the snail tilting his head from side to side with utter exasperation. "Sanji."

"Quick, order me to do something."

"Um…well…pick your nose."

"_NO_! What sort of person do you think I am?"

"Well, see, it doesn't work."

A little relieved, Sanji considered this. He tapped his fingers on the mouthpiece, feeling a little perkier than he had earlier. "Well, okay, that settles it, then. I can still hear your voice – "

"What…what am I thinking?"

"I'm not a damn mind reader!"

"You said you could hear my voice inside your head so what am I thinking right now?"

"_This is preposterous_! I don't know!"

"It's probably a good thing you can't," Law then admitted, looking sheepish. "I don't think you want to know what I'm thinking. It's kind of embarrassing…"

Sanji looked at his expression, furrowing his brow. "Why? What are you thinking?"

The snail gave a bashful sort of bow. "I…don't want to get into it right now. I don't know, it's just…I'm a little confused at the moment, so I think anything I say on the matter won't be…very clear to you, anyway."

"I've got all day. Father is saving my spot in the dungeons for my return."

"You…_wait_, you said you placed yourself there…?"

"Yes, Ichiji and I. Ichiji feels he was contaminated. He hasn't been the same. Perhaps this is a character change for him."

"And…like, isn't that serious?"

"And I am still your prisoner, I suppose, which is why I feel so connected to you, still."

The entire snail reddened as those eyes widened in response. Sanji looked at it with bewilderment.

"Are you _blushing_?" he cried in outrage, standing from the bench.

"_NO_! Blushing is for…maidens."

Sanji snickered. "And you are the manliest of maidens I've ever met."

"And yet you were moments from fainting in my arms, so…"

"I DID NOT!" Huffing, Sanji sat back down again, facing the snail as it reached up with one little arm to rub at the back of his 'head'. The blush was fading away.

"So, uh…Sanji. What…are you wearing right now?" Law then asked curiously, looking around himself.

Sanji looked puzzled before looking down at his trousers, frilly shirt with a light duster jacket – the dungeons were a little chilly. He described that, noticing that the snail was still looking down and moving its arms in a way that suggested Law was sketching.

"And…what would you be doing if I were there?" Law then asked, rather shyly.

Sanji wore another puzzled expression. "I don't know. Probably…well, considering that day's events, more than likely we wouldn't be here. Probably… on different islands to evade my father's reach and…exploring? I see both good things and bad things with it."

Law stared at him soundlessly, paused in mid-sketch. "Okay," he then said, and Sanji had a feeling he was missing the entire point of the conversation. "Yeah, that question was pretty creepy, anyway…"

Perplexed, Sanji wondered what that meant.

"I just think," Law then said slowly, "that each of us left a bigger impression on the other than _we _thought. That's all."

"Yes, I am still under your psychic impression," Sanji agreed with a firm nod.

"Do…you want me to…stop?" Law then asked tentatively, looking worried.

Sanji stared at the snail sightlessly. What would it feel like to go a day without hearing Law's voice in his head, without automatically looking for him? Suddenly, the very suggestion of it made him uncomfortable and he didn't understand why.

"Oh, well…um," he stuttered nervously, feeling his face redden, "well, uh, it gets pretty lonely in the dungeon, so…I guess it's fine if I can keep hearing your voice."

Law smiled, the snail batting its eyes merrily. Sanji reacted with another disgusted face.

"Please stop making those idiotic faces, they're making me ill!" Sanji snapped at him.

After a few moments Sanji then asked, "So, if I should decide to visit once more, would I be welcome there?"

"Of course! Can you even do that?"

Sanji fiddled with the shoulder strap. "Why can't _you_ come get me?"

"The…the thingy, you broke it. You broke it and it hasn't turned on since. But, uh, Sanji," Law then interrupted pensively, "a while back, Teach mentioned that he'd followed you after Sora punched you. The device used was actually a cuff that allowed however many was in its vicinity at that moment to travel. But considering the amount of time that Sora punched you and that this happened in the ocean – how was Teach that close to follow?"

Sanji considered this question, tilting his head with thought. "He wouldn't have," he said slowly, "because only I was fast enough to pursue Sora and we were definitely alone over the ocean."

"Then, Teach has his own way of traveling between dimensions. Where was he taken to when Sora grabbed him from here?"

"I can find out," Sanji assured him with determination, sitting up straight.

"When you do…" Law trailed off awkwardly, but the snail reflected his expression. Sanji was stunned at how much he felt like obeying whatever it was Law was going to say next. He struggled to fight the pull. "Please come back here."

Hand to his forehead as the urge to resist reach fever point, Sanji clenched his teeth as the snail then looked at him flatly before pulling into an exasperated eye roll.

Realizing he could not fight this battle forever, Sanji exhaled harshly, dropping his hand to his lap. Winded, he uttered, "Fine, I'll obey your command. _Damn_ your mind abilities! I'm helpless against it!"

Despite his exasperation, Law brightened up. "Then I'll wait for you."

Sanji paused, looking at him suspiciously. The snail reflected Law's expression so perfectly that there wasn't any doubt for anything else. It was probably the pleased blush.

"Scumbag, the very nature of your pleased actions and words cause me to think that you're rather maidenly towards me," he then said with astonishment.

The snail rested its exasperated head in one small hand – an awkward gesture but Sanji got the meaning of it. "Sanji, what is 'maidenly'?"

Thinking quickly, Sanji explained, "Demure, chaste, pure! All of those words correctly describe your actions towards me."

"What part of me seems demure, chaste and pure? You watched porn at my apartment, I draw naked fictional girls! I'm a man, I obviously had my share of…girlfriends…"

Sanji had to rethink what he meant exactly. "Well," he fumbled, "you…! There are moments when you just…look deeply into my eyes and blush and suddenly lift your voice a few octaves other than your – "

Sanji mimicked the moment but he might've exaggerated it a bit. The snail's eyes drooped with exasperation again, but the snail's coloring deepened.

"I also licked you, so, that's probably a part of it," Law said dully.

"_You fell in love with me_!" Sanji accused him, reddening.

"SANJI - !"

"No wonder I can't escape your psychic temperament!" Sanji wailed, hands to his face dramatically. "You latched onto me like Reiju does to her victims and forced _me_ to also fall in love with you! _That's_ why my skin misses you! _That's_ why I can still hear your voice! Oh, the misery of my existence, to be captured by an alien human being without being granted a chance at my own fantasies!"

"…Skin?" Law mumbled, absolutely bewildered. "…Are you done?"

In angsting pose, Sanji sniffed, struggling to contain himself. His head strummed with a vibration so noisy that he could barely concentrate. These were the things that left him confused and shaken – he hadn't a name for them, but it all made sense. This alien had captured his mind _and_ heart.

"Unwholesome, pitiful me," he sniffled. "For allowing this to happen without any regards to my own safety and wellbeing…am I that unworthy of sacrifice?"

"…Sanji, for Christ's sake, I didn't miss this aspect at all…"

Sanji was on his feet, brushing off his trousers as his confidence was restored.

"Third eye seer. Mystical cosmic being. Wretched, foul soul sucker!"

The snail's eyes narrowed. "Are you complimenting me?"

"I will be there soon. Expect me shortly," Sanji decided, hanging up before Law could say anything else. The number was untraceable, and it was for the good of things. He considered the new situation. If he could get Law under his own control with this…cosmic love business…then he'd have control over the powerful alien being. Manipulate Law into working for _him_. He could lay siege over…well…

He crossed his arms thoughtfully. He didn't have any mind to conquer anything out of his own free will.

But he could definitely use that alien for his own greater good. He snatched up the den den mushi and sprinted back to the castle – admittedly, happier than ever.

: :

Law took care of the snail, removing the receiver with a cautious air and then giving it plenty of leafy greens. These creatures were pretty tough for how long he hadn't fed or watered the thing. It looked near death. But it ate slowly while watching him with what seemed like a bitter expression – near similar to Sanji's face. Shachi and Bepo crowded around him to marvel over the sight while Penguin filmed it. Now that he had instructions on proper snail care, Law had bought a glass tank for it and filled with a water bowl and a low heat lamp. The four men watched the snail eat one bite at a time, twitching every so often.

It was a weekend, and all of them had nothing to do but come over to admire Law's new pet. There was Chinese on the counter and cubes of soda. The floor and couch was covered with graphic novels and newspapers. The apartment had been repaired to near good as new – that wall was already peppered with fan-art Law liked of his newly released works. He'd placed his computer in a different place, replaced the television and rearranged the living room so that if Sanji arrived as similarly as he did the first time, nothing expensive would be destroyed.

Law had been planning for his arrival for as long as he'd been back, and hearing from the other man made him more hopeful than before.

"So, these are mind reading insects?" Shachi verified, snapping his gum noisily as he watched the thing eat. The tank was set up near the couch, so Shachi was sitting at the edge while the others stood around.

"They transmit other snails' transmissions telepathically with the use of radio waves," Law told him.

"Basically they read each other's thoughts," Bepo told Shachi low. "So they are telepathically relaying a conversation to the other person via their minds."

"Weird, but whatever…" Shachi snapped his gum. "Then how does the receiver work? I mean, you put it on its back and push a few buttons and it reaches another snail with the same abilities? Are the ones on Earth with the same capability?"

"Should we try it?"

All of them glanced at each other apprehensively until Bepo pulled up his phone to search for the nearest pet store. The snail paused in mid-chew, then slowly turned and pulled itself with achingly slow effort towards the water bowl. Shachi grew impatient and picked it up and set it near the bowl. The snail retreated within itself and stayed curled into a ball while they waited.

Penguin stopped recording and looked over at Law. "So, Sanji said he'd come back here."

"Yes. He was going to do so. _Somehow_."

"That's going to ruin the timeline of the comic."

"Maybe not. It's already written as is," Law said with uncertainty. "Sanji is already dead in the comics but not in real life."

"What if _you_ appear in later issues?" Shachi asked curiously.

"Do you actually believe me?" Law asked him with uncertainty, adjusting his glasses. "Because you're a total non-believer."

"I saw the dude _fly_," Shachi stressed. "I haven't been able to debunk that shit and it haunts me in my dreams."

"I doubt it," Law then muttered. "I doubt Garuda would say anything about my appearance and about what I'd done to them. It'd be a smear on their history."

"I still can't believe you destroyed them from the inside out with just some words," Shachi then scoffed. "I can see you doing something entirely different. You wear that inner psycho look well. I thought you'd be cutting people's hearts out and sending them to their families as a threat."

Law looked shocked that he'd even suggest this. Hand to his ring tee, Law insisted, "I am a meek, timid man, Shachi. I'm incapable of anything dangerous. My weapon is my stylus."

"I heard him whine about a paper cut the other day," Bepo whispered, Law wincing as he looked at his bandaged finger.

Shachi decided he didn't know what to say, dropping the conversation and leaving it as is.

"Why though?" Penguin then asked, snapping his head up with a bewildered expression. "To live here? As a mortal?"

Law looked nervous, playing with the bandaid on his finger. "Um, yes."

The three looked troubled.

"I mean, it's better for him, right? Wouldn't it feel weird if he just…like, what if one of us just…died?" Law then asked, adjusting his glasses. "Wouldn't that affect the rest of us in a negative way?"

They glanced at each other and reluctantly agreed.

"I just…he grew on me," Law confessed slowly, unsure of how much he could divulge to the others. Telling them he had a crush on the guy wasn't going to make anybody feel comfortable. "Admittedly, I experienced enough adventure to last a lifetime and don't feel any drive to do it again, but…it would be interesting if he were here."

"This world would be boring for him," Shachi stressed.

"Tell that to my neighbors."

"It's like taking on the responsibility of a child," Shachi said. "Are you ready to be a father?"

Law fell silent. Shachi _tsk_ed, shaking his head. "Have you called your own father recently?"

"I'm such a failure, I'm too embarrassed to do so," Law muttered bitterly. "What am I going to say to him? Dad, I recently traveled inter-dimensionally and met an alien and fought some aliens but I'm back now, and by the way, spot me a twenty for food?"

"This is the worst idea ever," Shachi then grumbled. "I don't feel sorry for you."

"I think it'll be fun," Bepo said, clapping his hands together.

"I can animate his day to day adventures, Law!" Penguin then said excitedly. "Like you do with your Tumblr posts! We should combine our animation to create something huge! He can be the star!"

Law lit up. "That sounds like a great idea! But not using the actual character, but perhaps just hinting at it. He'd be his own hero."

"_Villain_?" Shachi asked, wanting this verification. "Because he's still a villain, chillin' with his villain family."

"I cannot think of him in the same way after what I saw," Law confessed heavily. "Those people adored him."

"HOW? He's an ass!"

Law then hurried over to retrieve the broken cuff that had allowed him to return to his own world. He set it down on the table, the others examining it thoughtfully. They'd already had their share of marveling over the details and for the fact that this was a real thing. It was a silver material that molded when strapped to the limb, and Law remembered that it sprouted holographic details that could be touched. The screen had glowed purple, but the flat surface gave him nothing but a shattered surface that yielded no other clues about it. Something about the conversation Law had with Sanji came back to him.

Since the others knew the details that he could talk about, he said, "The thing with Teach is that he came by separately. Using Sora's actions as an excuse. He had a way to come by, a possible separate device that allowed him to piggy back off of Sora's."

His eyes widened. "The abandoned building where he was living – it was a huge mess when Sora found him. I wonder if his is still there!"

"Shall we go adventure?" Penguin cried, eagerly gathering up his things as Shachi looked alarmed. Bepo grabbed a container and began throwing food into it.

"Yes, maybe we'll find his device still there. Sora took him with…him without Teach being able to gather anything at all," Law stumbled, searching for his cellphone and keys, "Sanji said he would…cover his end and maybe, just maybe, Teach left his device here."

"Then _we_ can go _there_!" Penguin squealed, unable to repress an excited jiggle while Bepo looked delighted, cheeks full. Shachi rolled his eyes.

"_Whatever_. I'll believe it when I see it," he said on a heavy sigh, following them out of the apartment.

* * *

**Naghi**-**Tan**: one more thread to clear up ; D

**VisitorNo**.**18**: you are correct! XD

**Nehalenia**: he is, and i blame his father for it. he spoiled those kids rotten without teaching them too much of any social skills. while sanji isnt...as...bad...hes definitely in need of help. LOTS of help. D: Law did very well against superhumans, and made a lasting impression on them. unfortunately he plays dead in front of a ferocious predator so the predator will lose interest in him - its the only way to preserve his manhood D: Now that the dust is settling, time to bust out the broom to sweep this mess up.


	16. Chapter 16

**: : 16**

The mess left behind from Teach and Sora's fight was still there. Dust coated the items splayed around the floor, and glass glittered from the broken windows. Pigeons had already taken advantage of the open space, and crows hopped about noisily, picking at various smaller items on the floor.

"I'm somewhat disappointed in my city," Shachi murmured with distaste as he glanced around.

Penguin rifled through some items tossed in a pile, sorting through them. "He was collecting pages of the comics," he stated. "None of them really directly connected to the Vinsmokes. They seem random. They're from older issues, and I can't see any correlation to them."

"Hold onto them, I bet they're clues to his next motive," Law said, rummaging through a collection of fast food cardboard boxes. He found what looked like "funny money", but he recognized them as beli, Wanted posters and letters that he couldn't decipher. After glancing at the others, Law stuffed some of the banded beli into his pocket – for…the memory. Judging from the differences, Teach was in communication with at least three different people. He found photographs of the Vinsmoke siblings in different poses; Ichiji walking with purpose with some clones, Niji stuffing his face with chocolate, Yonji scaring children, Reiju painting her nails and Sanji smoking on an outside bench. It was funny – if he hadn't met them all personally, Law would think that they were all serious contenders.

But Ichiji's picture made him think of his whiny voice; Reiju absolutely terrified him, Yonji was probably repeating himself with exasperation after being questioned, and Sanji was probably in communication with the birds he was looking at in the trees around him like a regular Disney princess. He wondered what Teach thought of them.

"Are they of people individually? Or of circumstances that had already passed before the first initial Vinsmoke introduction?"

"It's a jump between all stories and they're full pages with…no repeat individual on them," Penguin answered, collecting them anyway and stuffing them into his shorts pockets.

"Maybe he's targeting others," Bepo suggested. "Or perhaps they have a connection to the inter-dimensional device."

Law found a lockbox, and the rattling inside caused him interest. Bepo helped him by opening the box easily with his surprising monstrous strength, handing it back to Law with a pat on the shoulder. Law saw a combination of wires, a purple stone and what looked like an Earth map.

"Guys," he said excitedly, delicately pulling the connected items out from the box and standing, "I think this is it!"

"Wow, crystals attached to copper wires?" Shachi asked sarcastically, popping in new gum.

"I hope this isn't a joke," Penguin said with worry, hurrying over to look after putting down a book. "It doesn't look like it'll do much of anything."

After examining the attached number board, the runes something that Law couldn't identify, he pressed on the red button. The crystal glowed brightly for an instant before a holographic keypad rose from it. All of them, despite their skepticism, emitted surprised noises.

"Touching anything else without knowing what they mean could send us anywhere," Shachi exclaimed with distress, stepping behind Bepo for protection while the bigger man looked awed, straightening his glasses.

"This is it," Law declared. "This is _exactly_ what I saw when Sanji sent me back here. But Shachi is right – I could be sending us somewhere else entirely, scrambling our insides and destroying us in the process. I have to hold onto hope that Sanji can figure out another way here and correctly interpret what this device means. But looking at this – Teach manufactured this from parts and pieces, which suggests he had help from someone who knows about it."

Penguin then asked with a little worry, "What if whomever was helping him at the time uses the activation of Teach's device to explore who has it while Teach is jailed?"

Thinking about the possibilities, Law depressed the red button. The crystal powered down, and the device twitched a little before resettling in his hands. There were plenty of super powered enemies on the other side, but after being so thoroughly disappointed with Germa 66, Law wasn't mentally prepared for more of it. He carefully replaced it into the lockbox Bepo had opened for him, and closed the lid. Standing, he glanced at the others.

"I don't think we should worry about that," he said flatly. "Just thinking about my own experience has been…like, I've never been so disappointed in my life. What if someone else pops up and disappoints me even further?"

"Did you ever get a response from the creator regarding Sanji?" Bepo then asked curiously while the other two looked a little let down.

"Just a generic 'Thank you for reading! Interesting story! Read on for future adventure!'," Law relayed. "I had Google translate it for me."

"But no other mysterious visits or emails? I mean, if they're aware that Sora actively monitors the story from his dimension and is aware that Sanji was here…then perhaps they know that the story is settled. Perhaps they know what you did," Penguin stated with visible excitement, "and are keeping you on their watch list."

"I highly doubt it. The thought that the creator…who changed certain aspects of the Vinsmoke personality to render them capable villains in a once imaginary world, causes me to think that I _should_ be assassinated to prevent giving away the actual plot of things," Law said with doubt. "But so far, I haven't been removed from this life. They probably spied upon me and realized I was just a modern day wimp, unworthy of that fantastic of an ending."

"People don't take fanboys seriously," Shachi murmured.

"No, we're the butt of everyone's jokes." Law sighed, looking down at the box. "I suppose I only have to wait for Sanji's arrival on his own."

"Want to stop for coffee somewhere before engaging into our marathon?" Penguin then asked as the four of them began moving for the exit way, pigeons fluttering around their heads anxiously. A crow cawed at them from nearby, feathers ruffled.

"Oh, we're still doing this?" Shachi asked, spitting out his gum.

"I would suggest we start with one of the OVAs, first," Bepo added excitedly. "Preferably movie three."

"Oh, I love the animation of that one," Law spoke up, face lighting up with excitement. "The fluidity of the fight scenes with that seemingly unfinished rawness to it gives it an air of art!"

"Totally!" Penguin chimed in. "And it has that junkie trip to it with the neon colors and a jazzy OST that gives it a Cowboy Bebop air!"

"Should we get high and watch it?" Shachi asked, the other three looking at him in alarm. "I mean, it'd make watching it even cooler!"

"I've…never…indulged," Law stuttered timidly. "Parents were doctors and all…"

"Won't we get arrested?" Bepo asked fearfully.

"Penguin and I do it all the time! It's the only way I can tolerate his mania!"

"I don't know," Penguin murmured skeptically. He gave Bepo a considering look as Law pried open the broken door, allowing the others to crawl out first. "I don't think we'd have enough food after that…."

"Are you suggesting I'm a big eater?" Bepo asked Penguin indignantly. "I'm a big man! I can't help it! Genetics!"

Before Law could say anything, a flash of light caught their attention. The darkened staircase allowed the light from the box to draw their eyes to it, and once Law realized what was happening, he tossed the box with panic up to the landing they'd just left.

Only, the metal box connected with a loud bang off the forehead of a man standing there and Law's eyes widened with disbelief while the other three stiffened with utter horror at the abrupt shift of scenery. The man's eyes crossed for a moment before he fell backward, slamming off some shelves that caused a rattle of sound as they collapsed. Once the dust had settled, Law looking around himself with rising dismay once he realized that it was too late. They had appeared in what looked like some type of shanty, with a brightly colored beach in the distance. The smell of sea water made him sick, and the humidity was ghastly. The call of beach birds and the crash of waves against the shore made his ears ring. There was an actual pirate ship with a skull and crossbones flag on full display atop of the mast in the distance, a smaller boat rigged to the shore.

Before he could say anything, Bepo screamed noisily with panic while Penguin fainted and Shachi braced himself against one wall with a shell-shocked look. Bepo's scream caused a flurry of sound to erupt from a nearby room, various men with drawn weapons and flashy clothing appearing in view. Law froze with terror because while his mind squealed "pirates!" they weren't of any affiliation to anyone he knew in _Sora: Warrior of the Seas_.

Once the group realized that the four did not belong, and that the man that had brought them was lying motionless amidst the mess of fallen shelves, all attention towards the group turned grim. They examined each one of them before their accusing eyes settled on Law; only because he was the only one not trembling or muffling their cries behind shaking hands. Law did feel like crying with his own panic. But he swallowed tightly, palms up to indicate that he was without a weapon.

"What are we going to do?" Bepo shrilled, hands to his balding head. "_Where are we_?"

"Calm down, calm down," Shachi wheezed, eyes wide behind his polarized lenses. "_Calm down_. CALM DOWN, BEPO. _CALM DOWN_! For the love of all that's holy, _calm down_!"

"_YOU_ CALM DOWN! We're at the beach with no towels!"

Shachi and Law looked at Bepo with confusion.

"You there," one of the men said, gesturing with his sword and causing the trio to freeze in place. Once he had their attention, the man gestured at the one on the floor. "What'd you do to our boss?"

Law swallowed noisily, struggling to regain the confidence that had earned him the effort of defeating the Vinsmokes. But he couldn't help but wish Sanji were there with him because he knew he could really use that superhuman body to hide behind right about now.

"Um….I'm…_I_ hit him," he said timidly. He gestured at the lockbox, which had opened and spilled out its contents with the impact. "On accident."

The group of pirates were looking at them with obvious confusion of their own. The four of them plainly stood out. Law had his ring tee over jeans and ratty shoes, but he'd also tossed on a brown jacket with fake animal fur around the collar, his hat pulled on with the brim low; Bepo was in an orange athletic hoodie and ripped jeans, a fanny pack at his hefty waist and bright yellow Nikes; Shachi had his red hair down, black cap in place and monstrous yellow turtleneck tucked into belted jeans over loafers; Penguin was That Guy in cargo shorts and converses, with a ratty light jacket hoodie zipped up over a Batman shirt. His aviator hat hadn't moved with his faint and collapse.

"_You_?" the man asked skeptically, looking him over with doubt. "_You_ struck our boss dead? How?"

Law felt his skin break out into a nervous sweat, but a hurried glance told him that Shachi and Bepo were relying on him. Then he felt stupid for leaving the only piece of communication he had with Sanji back at home. The thought that Sanji might show up there and Law was here – well, that just spelled out horrible trouble. He glanced down and saw that the man was equipped with a den-den mushi. He pointed at it.

"Does that thing work?" he asked tentatively.

This question enraged the group of armed men, all of whom surged into the room with their weapons drawn and pointed their way. Bepo cowered behind Law with a scared exclamation while Shachi hid behind him, almost tripping over Penguin's prone form.

"Who are you?" the first man cried, sword jutting dangerously close to Law's nose.

Law furrowed his brow, struggling to stave off his feared panic. He couldn't think. His lenses fogged up with his panicked breathing and surging body heat. His eyes flit around the room with panic until they once again rested upon the den-den mushi. Sweat dropped off his temple before he said stiffly, "I need you to pick up that snail and dial a number. Can you do that for me?"

"And why should I?"

"Because if you don't…the Vinsmokes will appear any second, now," Law said, and he felt victorious once he saw the panicked twitches on the group's faces, all of them looking around themselves with very real fear. "If you don't allow me a call, they will swamp the shit out of this place and…who knows what they'll do to you as they rescue me. So…cooperate, and everything will be fine."

After a few moments, the man pulled the snail into his hands, dropping his sword with a clatter of metal. Everyone continued to look around anxiously for any sign of their possible attackers, tension shifting elsewhere. Law felt his confidence restored because, despite his own thoughts on the family, everyone else had their own that would work to his advantage.

He gave the man the number, and indicated for him to pass it over once the dial was completed.

"_What_, you pushy bastard?" Sanji snapped at him after a short ring.

"SAVE US!" Shachi cried into the snail's face. "HURRY UP!"

"Wha…._who are you_ \- ?"

"Sanji," Law interrupted, elbowing Shachi away and turning to look at the man still lying on the floor. Walking over, he nudged him with his shoe. He had no idea who he was. But he gathered up the crystal and the rigged wires back into the lockbox and held it under one arm securely. He lowered his voice as much as he could, but it was fairly impossible within such cramped quarters. "Things happened. Can you track me through this call?"

"_NO_, you dumb shit. I'm…a little busy."

"Then we will die without ever knowing where we are or what has happened, and it'll be your fault. Tell your family what I think of them, and make sure you feed my snail at my apartment. I've named him Turbo for short…"

"_What_?"

Law hung up the phone and delicately put it aside. He then crouched and retrieved what looked like a gun from the man's unconscious form, the old fashioned design of the weapon something he was sure he'd seen from Pirates of the Caribbean. He rose with it and pointed it at the group of men who were suddenly shifting moods because of that one call. Squeezing the trigger, they all exploded out of the gun's range, abandoning the shanty immediately. The wall split with explosive impact that didn't make sense for such a small weapon, and Bepo and Shachi quickly scooped Penguin up between them and darted off in the other direction, screaming awkwardly. Watching as part of the shanty began to collapse, Law calmly turned and rummaged through the man's clothing for his ammunition pack. He found it, along with what looked like a map, grabbed the den den mushi and hurried out after the others.

The shanty collapsed with a crack of sound and a cloud of dust, but they were already pushing through the thick brush of foliage behind it. The sounds of the men screaming at each other to give chase caused panic in the trio. Shachi ended up dropping his hold on Penguin when Bepo tripped over a root. Law used the moment to study the gun, reloading as he realized that the weapon was a basic load that didn't require too much trouble. He held that limply at his side as he then looked over the map. The island was called 'Bear's Claw', and was even numbered with a set of coordinates. He'd seen the man dial the numbers on the den den mushi and patiently called Sanji back. He desperately needed a bag to hold all the things he'd gathered.

"I am confused!" Sanji answered, face looking perplexed. "Are you here on my world?"

"Do you know of the island called 'Bear's Claw'?" Law asked him, aiming limply over one shoulder as the sound of men approaching caused him to fire off a warning shot. Renewed screams told him he'd hit someone, and he whirled with alarm.

"_Oh my god_!" Shachi cried. "You _animal_! You just shot out someone's eye!"

"This is real life!" Bepo cried, sweating profusely as he frantically removed his heavy sweater. "_THIS IS REAL LIFE_!"

"Really?" Law asked Shachi skeptically, lowering the gun. "I wasn't even looking."

"I WATCHED YOU, YOU _MANIAC_!"

"_Law_!" Sanji screamed at him from the snail, the insect flailing. "How did this happen? I'm in the middle of finding answers and fleeing the Marines at the same time!"

"Well, I went and investigated Teach's place where he took me the first time," Law responded calmly, not wanting to look at his own work as men screamed horribly from beyond the tree line. Penguin started to rouse, the other two men shaking and shouting at him to wake up. "And I found the device he used to get here. My friends and I were inadvertently transported here by another man. The theory being was that, _somehow_, it could be tracked by its usage. Some things happened here and there and now we're fleeing into the trees, but I found a map and a gun and now I know how to use this snail to contact you."

Sanji stared at him with awe, the snail capturing his expression perfectly.

"I don't even know who that guy was," Law added, rising his weapon in the direction of incoming sounds. He fired off a warning shot, and animal-like screams erupted from the direction he'd fired at. A massive bear rose up from the greenery, bellowing fiercely and causing him to freeze in terror. Unfortunately for their pursuers, the bear turned and attacked them, upset by the frightening activity around him. Law hissed at his friends to follow him, and the three did without any other question or hesitation. Penguin helpfully grabbed the lockbox from him, and Bepo took the map.

"I don't even know how to think," Sanji said slowly. "But I am in full confidence of your survival abilities. The Marines are in pursuit of me after I'd been caught looking for answers, and as a result, I am leading them away from our battle island and claiming full responsibility for my actions, without my father's involvement. I have located Bear's Claw Island on my map – you are but two hours south of me. I imagine that you can stay alive for that long."

Law looked over his shoulder skeptically, the bear mauling their attackers with savage intensity. It was bigger than any bear he'd seen on Earth – blending in with the foliage perfectly. It had scales lining down its back and the bullet hadn't truly impacted it, but probably surprised it – Law didn't see any blood. The animal had only reacted just to react by the sudden activity around it. He trudged forward, snail in hand and gun in the other, moving confidently through the foliage as his friends followed anxiously. All of them were sweating in the thick humidity, their cold clothes inappropriate for this type of weather.

"Fine," Law then said. "I will wait for you here. The device is safe in our hands, and you can figure it out."

"When I arrived to the Marine base where they keep their prisoners, Teach had already escaped," Sanji said grimly. "If that…_thingy_…was in his hands and operated by a friend of his, then he's on his way there, if he isn't already. This is a win-win situation. Guard that thing, don't use it. I will lead the Marines to Teach and we can disappear within the melee."

"Great idea," Law answered, lighting up as sweat soaked his collar. He had questions but he'd ask him later. "Hurry up."

He hung up before Sanji could say anything, emerging out into the open. But the open revealed high, cliff walls that dipped down to reveal a waterfall from the ocean to drop into a huge pool below. The view made Law's stomach sink, and vertigo hit him. Bepo caught him before he could stumble.

"_Now_ what?" Shachi asked, peering over the cliff's edge then looking puzzled. "Hey, the dynamic's off! _How_ is this possible? The ocean is over there, and yet this is a huge hole! Look at that waterfall!"

"Why are you _shouting_?" Bepo asked him in a loud whisper.

"What is going on? Penguin asked warily, adjusting the lock box in both arms. "Why are we being pursued? And are we truly in another dimension?"

"I think I know why Law is considered somewhat of a superhuman here," Shachi growled, looking at the man suffering "vapors" in Bepo's arms. "_Get up_, you moron! Are you serious right now? _Heights_?"

"They make me so sick," Law moaned, wiping his forehead.

"You took down a high powered enemy with your _bare hands_," Shachi hissed at him. "Then wiped out his followers by _mistake_! Don't give me this _I'm afraid of heights_ bullshit!"

"He did?" Penguin cried incredulously, looking at Law with awe.

"Everything was by _accident_," Law stressed, turning away from the view. "This was how I was able to defeat the Vinsmokes."

The trio stared at him with absolute disbelief, but Shachi and Bepo were the only ones to really believe him after what they'd witnessed. Together, the group began to shed layers, burning up in the sheltering humidity of the island's weather.

"We have to wait here while Sanji comes this way," Law then said, fanning his face. "So let's go where we won't cause any trouble. Sight see."

"We are in another dimension and you suggest sight seeing?" Shachi screeched, finding his gum. He loaded his mouth with several sticks, shaking.

Penguin, meanwhile, moved from place to place with gasps and exclamations. "This is amazing! Smell that pure ass air! Wow! Look at that sky! Whoa! That water! It's such a pure color! Oh, wow, my pores! My pores fucking love it here! You can't smell any pollution out here! Wow! Is that a bird? Oh my god, you guys, this is great! We are in another planet! Right? This is another planet?"

"Penguin, calm yourself," Law ordered him. "You're drawing attention our way. None of us are fighters, we'll die."

Penguin clamped his hands over his mouth, then pulled his hat from his head. His hair and skin was flushed and wet with sweat. "God, I'm dying. Also, very thirsty. Let's find a vending machine…"

"I don't think there's any here," Shachi said sarcastically, gesturing at the landscape around him.

"We're going to be in need of basic material in order to get through the next couple of hours," Law said gravely, looking back towards the shoreline. "We should follow that back to their ship. I'm sure they have more then enough supplies there we can use."

"Along with about fifty men!" Shachi cried. "A ship that big has to have more than what's here on the island already!"

"Think about it, Shachi. I've already put the fear of god into them," Law told him, hands on his hips. He then reached up to remove his hat, fanning himself before he could continue.

"Listen here, Commodus," Shachi warned him, pointing an accusing finger at him. "I'm tired of you ordering us around. You brought us here, you bring us back!"

Law's eye twitched at the name, but with the state of his sticky hair and for the fact that it clung to his skin, hat impression against the messy waves, it was a name that fit.

"Is this mutiny you speak of?"

"Don't you dare just assume character!"

"Guys, guys," Penguin said, hands up in a calming gesture. "Calm down. Shachi, you're shrieking. Stop that. It's unmanly. Law, that isn't a good plan to rely on. We're simple city dudes with no fights under the belt. We'll die. That's the end of it. So we need a better plan if we're going to survive the next two hours. Now, let's find some dew on leaves – I'm sure that will provide us with an ample amount of hydration before Sanji arrives."

"…dew on leaves…?"

"Maybe it'll rain," Bepo commented, squinting up at the sky.

"Clearly, none of us will survive in this world," Law murmured with a frown, tapping at his goatee with thought. "Now…what would someone do if _they_ were caught in this situation…? Listen. We follow the shoreline back to the shanty. Perhaps it isn't the only one on this island. It seems to be occupied. We'll take the clothes off the bodies of the dead, assume their personas, then sneak onto the ship, sabotage it from the inside and take their treasure. How's that?"

"_Or_," Penguin stated, pointing off to the right. There, just beyond the cliffs was a village. "We can go there."

"Ah. Much easier. I was exhausted just thinking about my plan," Law said with relief, turning in that direction.

It was a long walk, and by the time they reached the village, the four of them were in dire states. Hot, exhausted, hungry and convinced they were dying, they struggled to hold themselves up. Villagers took one look at them and wore uncertain expressions. They were the very image of struggle but their outlandish clothing (for them) had the villagers worried. After asking for directions, they were taken to a tavern with other villagers that stared at them mutely. The man behind the bar looked at them with apprehension, clearly tense as they approached. A single smoker at the bar glanced at them with disinterest before turning his focus to a large green bottle in front of him. He alternated between smoking and drinking, ignoring them.

"Water and snacks," Law advised, sweating heavily as his shaky hands snaked into his jeans pockets, producing thin bricks of beli. The man's eyes widened but Law told the others, "I took it from Teach's supplies."

"Well, good thinking ahead," Penguin told him breathlessly, sitting atop of a stool while Shachi took up two of them to lay upon, Bepo sitting heavily at a table.

"Be aware," Law warned them, "that the food here tastes much different from what we known from where we're from. I had a very hard time eating here."

"Don't continue to terrorize us," Shachi begged, hands on his chest.

Barrels of water were placed down onto the counter, as well as plates of hastily prepared snacks; sandwiches, potato cakes and cuts of salami, cheese and hard crackers. Penguin and Law managed to carry it to the table where Bepo sat, the big man worried as he watched them. Law rifled through the money he'd taken from Teach's supplies and placed down two bills with an uncertain look on his face. But the man's told him that it was more than enough.

"Keep the change," Law told him smoothly, the man looking at him with utter surprise. Law returned to his table while they slurped water from the barrels and picked cautiously at the snacks. The food was as bland and different as Law remembered. Nothing tasted as it should have, the expectation ruined by the actual flavor. But Bepo stuffed his mouth with a teary expression and Shachi struggled not to vomit. Penguin took tiny bites and drank water with hearty swallows.

At the sound of surprised cries and shouts of terror outside, the four of them winced in reaction. The pirates they'd escaped from burst through the doors, looking as if they'd all endured a difficult battle. The bear's work was obvious through their stained bandages and hasty wrappings. They all looked like they'd seen death in the face, and once they spotted the four men, they tensed.

Within the stark silence, Shachi's chair dragged noisily as he scooted around the table to settle behind Bepo once more. Penguin's water barrel dropped from his hands, splattering the last of the liquid onto the table. Bepo choked, hands to his neck with surprise. Law tightened his lips, unsure if he could draw his new gun fast from his hip.

Everyone was looking from the pirates to the quartet with apprehension, Bepo strangling on the food he'd inhaled. He rose from his chair, then roughly slammed himself against the counter's edge to dislodge his food. The bulk of sandwich and potato cakes shot out of his mouth and hit the bartender directly in the eye. He flailed with a surprised cry, slamming against his shelves. Bottles rained down over him, liquid splashing everywhere. The smoker at the counter shot up from his stool with a surprised gasp, but he managed to spit out his cigarette just in time. Unfortunately, the lit stick caused flames to erupt from the spilled alcohol, shooting across the counter and floor like…wildfire.

Everyone began racing for the door in a panic, pushing past the pirates with ease. One of the pirates, gun in hand, yelled out before he was tripped. He shot off his pistol, which directly hit a ceiling joist above their heads. The already sensitive beam creaked once before collapsing, the ceiling falling down with a loud crash of sound over the pirates only.

Bepo sat slowly back into his chair as the chaos continued around them. Shachi folded his hands into his lap as flames licked the air, smoke billowing outward through the opened hole in the roof. Penguin looked at Law with a pensive expression. Law pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose with a slow exhale. The patrons continued to flee the bar in a panic, the bartender running after them.

"It _can't_ be that easy," Penguin whispered to Law, his tone laced with utter incredulity.

"We are but aliens in their world," Law told him gravely. "As we are not part of their world, we are power on our own. It all makes sense…"

"We, _literally_, are not superhumans of any sort," Shachi said dully.

"They don't know that."

The four of them continued to sit grimly while the bar burned around them, avoiding their general area.

: :

Because it was a very small village, it didn't take much for word to climb out that the four men were dangerous. Villagers gathered together to put out the fire, and as they did so, they all couldn't help but gape at the aliens that emerged, untouched, from it. So all of them looked at the group with awe, unsure of what they were seeing.

The heat was unbearable. Law yanked off his shirt while the others peeled away their layers. Law had never been an impressive man but now people were looking at him – and his tattoos – like he was some kind of harbinger of doom. Kids were hidden away for their safety while women stared with near blushing faces. Men looked tense, hands gripped around various tools or clenched at their sides. Law studied their expressions with a sort of disbelief while the others gawked at everything like tourists.

"Who were those guys?" Shachi then demanded, wearing a stained tank top, hands on his hips.

"They were the Bluejam Pirates, sir," someone answered tentatively, looking around with worried eyes.

Shachi glanced at the others, who had no clue who the group was. He then spat onto the ground, tasting smoke.

"They were searching for someone named Marshall Teach," someone else offered. "They were in the village, earlier, looking for clues. It seems this pirate had…something of theirs that they were looking for."

The four glanced at each other, Law using his shirt to wipe his forehead. He tucked that into the waistband of his jeans, then pulled on his coat's hood to settle over his hat, leaving the rest to dangle down his back.

"They were looking for the inter-dimensional transportation device," he decided gravely, everyone hanging onto his every word while he thought out loud to himself. "However it got out there for people to know about is a definite mystery…it could mean trouble for us."

"I think the main thing we should consider is that it was activated, somehow, by the top guy's doing. He forced us here when we had the thing locked up," Penguin told him, removing his hoodie and wrapping it around his waist. Then rolling up his sleeves to reveal heavily defined arms – Youtube influencer's vanity demanding regular gym time. Some of the women seemed to swoon all of a sudden just looking at the pair, Shachi noticed with shock. "So how did he do that?"

"We would have to go back and explore that, now that most of his men are…disposed of," Law murmured, glancing back at the ruins of the tavern.

"Ugh, it _stinks_!" Shachi complained suddenly, hands to his nose. "What's that smell?"

Penguin and Law stiffened at the scent, looking to horrified faces around them. Then their heads jerked to the tavern with shock.

"We killed them!" Bepo realized with dismay.

Shachi froze, hands settled against his face.

The villagers realized this, then celebrated joyously. The sight of them erupting into celebration caused the four men shock at the reaction.

"You men are mighty!" someone shouted.

"Hip hip hooray!"

"You've liberated us from their terror!"

"Thank you! Thank you!"

"So," Penguin whispered to Law, leaning into him to be heard. "This is what it feels like to be seen as a god."

"Scary, isn't it? So much pressure," Law complained, hand against his stomach. "Then you just have to keep pushing yourself for a much bigger show of power."

"But that's what this world is! A display of might! And we are part of it!" Penguin squealed with excitement, dancing from foot to foot as Law's expression tightened with unease. Unfortunately, his expression looked menacing and intimidating to those watching him. With the way his friends addressed him, Law was labeled the leader. And because of his tattoos, they were from then on, in this world, labeled as the Heart Pirates.

: :

Sanji arrived to the village in time to see happy people ignoring their usual day to day chores and celebrating on the streets. Their happy expressions and cheerful merriment made him curious as he pulled his numbered hood tightly over his head, "disappeared", and walked quickly through the main street. He'd hoped that someone here had seen strange humans walking about but then he noticed little boys running around shirtless, with hearts painted on their shoulders and chests.

That made him pause, thinking of the eerie similarity they had with Law's. The Marines were close by, and he hadn't any time to waste. He had to locate Teach and get the puny Earth humans away before anything else could happen. Sora wasn't involved with this chase – _he_ was called elsewhere in the world, soothing other threats.

Sanji carefully avoided collusion with happy people, looking around for the reason of this celebration. He decided to follow the thick smoke in the air, tracing it to a tavern that had burned recently. Bodies were smoking in a pile nearby. He wrinkled his nose delicately and looked over to see people carrying food upwind from this mess.

He followed them then caught sight of four very familiar men being treated to royal status at a park. Women were lingering around them in groups, men were drinking and laughing and kids were being painted by local artists with the same tattoos Law had. Law himself was even painting on them while Bepo held a tray with paintbrushes and a jar of paint.

Fury like none other erupted throughout Sanji as he saw this. He was enraged by the scene, aghast that these idiots lounged so casually when they knew of his plan. Having spent most of this time infiltrating a Marine base to locate Teach's whereabouts and fleeing Marines made him snap. Fire exploded around him, causing his cloaking technology to fail. At the sight of him, villagers took immediate notice.

"It's Stealth Black!"

"A Vinsmoke!"

"Flee, _hurry_!"

Law straightened up from a kid he was painting, catching sight of Sanji. The villagers fled at the sight of the familiar Vinsmoke prince in their vicinity. Screams, cries of terror and utter panic cleared Sanji's path to Law.

"_Finally_!" Law cried with relief, wiping his hands on a paint smeared rag while Penguin spat out his beer and Shachi turned in his chair to give Sanji a moody look. Sanji stalked over stiffly, burning grass under foot and catching onto various streamers taped to trees and tables. Law froze as he recognized that the prince was in no mood to be as inviting as he was over the phone – er, snail.

"What's your problem?" he asked cautiously as Sanji snarled at him.

"What are you doing? Celebrating?" Sanji roared, fire dissipating just as quickly as it had flared over him. "What are you celebrating for, you fool? The Marines are on my tail! They are coming _here_!"

"Hi, Sanji," Penguin waved at him as Bepo pulled at the collar of his shirt with discomfort.

"Hey, man, I know we called you in a panic earlier," Shachi drawled, leaving his chair to amble over while Law gave Sanji a confused look for the venomous attitude, "but things are different now. We defeated a whole band of pirates that had been terrorizing this village. We fucked them up. Did you pass by them? They were the smoking pile over there…"

Sanji glared at him then looked at Law accusingly. "Is this true, scoundrel?" he asked. His eyes scanned the other man with such revulsion that his upper lip curled. "So you decide to parade yourself in front of everyone like _that_?"

"It's hot here, we were dressed for winter," Law said slowly, pulling his glasses down from his forehead. "What's wrong with that?"

Sanji really couldn't articulate _why_ he was so pissed. He glared up at the other man, then punched Shachi in the chest without looking at the redhead.

"OW! My _boob_!" Shachi squealed with shock, hands over his right pectoral.

"What was that for?" Law asked Sanji in exasperation, looking at his friend with worry. He reached over and rubbed Shachi's chest for him. Shachi flailed his arms in every direction with a womanly scream of dismay – Law realized his awkward mistake too late. He reddened with humiliation as Sanji's eyes blazed with renewed fury.

Penguin was in hysterics while Bepo looked as if he didn't know what to think. Crossing his arms stubbornly, Sanji turned away to scowl across the park. Standing there awkwardly, it occurred to Law too late why the other man was so angry. It all made sense – the boob punching and display of violence was the man displaying his jealousy.

Flattered, Law didn't know what to think. But he cleared his throat and looked to Bepo. "You have our things?"

"Right here," Bepo said, patting his fanny pack.

"Then we should return to that shanty immediately," Law said, throwing on his shirt and gesturing at Penguin. "Now that Sanji's here, we can go back and find out what that pirate used to bring us here, then have it take us back. We have to hurry. The Marines should be showing up at any moment…"

"Aw, man, this was great, too," Penguin complained, draining the last of his beer before abandoning the mug. "This beer was better than any draft I ever had before, and I used to live in Portland!"

"Maine or Oregon?" Shachi asked him skeptically.

Seeing that nothing was going to come of his frustration, Sanji waited for them to gather their clothes before moving in the direction they'd come. He gave a sullen look back at the villagers that were watching them leave, looking sad that they were before seeing him. They retreated into their hiding places with expressions of unease, and Sanji felt bad for that. It made him feel bad that people feared him in this manner when he hadn't done anything at all.

With a reluctant sigh, he hastened his step then argued with the group of non-athletes along the way, demanding to know how they'd defeated a group of pirates with their puny, pudgy bodies.

* * *

**A/N**: This story will be wrapping up soon! I'm kinda relieved about it _and_ sad. It's been a lot of fun to write so far lol

**Naghi-Tan**: LOL! I'd attempt it but I'm pretty sure my drawing in my head is different in real life XD Just wait until they have a chance to be alone again. They're definitely going to F things up in the way of romance XD XD

**G1nstuk1**: lol it just happened XD the little guys look so cute – I picture them as they would be like that 'bunny' snail that's floating around the internet. They'd be really cute!


	17. Chapter 17

**: : 17**

Stealth Black had already reached the shanty before the time the group, who was gasping for air and complaining about their efforts, could catch up. He yanked the dead pirate out from the ruins. Stealth Black couldn't imagine how Law had killed him without effort, but he was slightly dazzled by the fact that that moron was capable of such cold-blooded actions. He shook his head to clear his astonished admiration – _no_. He couldn't allow himself to be swept into the psychic storm Law was capable of. Stealth Black had to remain strong. He rummaged through the man's pockets to find what looked like a portable screen that emitted a faint hum. He recognized it as a Marine tracking device – they used it to track their white den-den mushis with. But it was apparent that some modifications had been made to it, so he had to assume that it was used to track another device entirely.

Once the group caught up, Stealth Black turned to give them an annoyed look. They clung to the doorway and wheezed for breath, moaning and complaining about shaking legs and the humidity and how they'd been slapped by branches. All he could do was stand there and wonder with ill-terror how these weak idiots without muscle tone and density could cause the chaos that they did to be so revered in the village as heroes.

"Teach has a way of infiltrating secure grounds to pose as an agent before he could grasp at anything that he could use to propel him forward in his deviant agenda to cause global wide terror," Stealth Black said with unease. "_Whose_ globe remains at question."

"So…" Shachi swallowed hard, laying out on the wooden floor with his arms splayed at his sides and Penguin fanning his face with his sweat soaked hat. Bepo looked moments from fainting as he sat, Law clinging to the doorframe. "He could be targeting ours because we don't have superhumans…"

Stealth Black frowned as he tapped a few buttons on the portal, watching as it flashed green then zoomed in on their location. "It's tracking the thingy."

"Is that what we're calling it, now? The thingy?"

Bepo pulled out the cluster of wires and crystal from his fanny pack, Law taking it with much effort. Once Stealth Black noticed that the tracker was connected to it, he snatched the cluster from him and examined it skeptically. The keyboard was a basic qwerty example, and he set aside the tracker to activate it. Once the tracker displayed the coordinates of where they were standing, he searched the history to see where this _thingy_ had traveled. Until its purpose was broadly decided upon, it would be named 'Thingy'. It seemed like such a fitting word.

Noticing three different variants from those coordinates that he recognized belonging to this world, he murmured, "Teach has visited your world at least three different times."

"Should we be concerned?" Law asked, looking ill.

"But he wasn't doing anything there," Stealth Black noted with consideration. "Not until I appeared."

"We found evidence of his collection of _Sora_ graphic novel pages. Penguin, did you bring those?"

Penguin waved the pile he'd tucked away in his cargo pants, and Law grabbed them to show Stealth Black. Stealth Black flicked through them, then looked concerned.

"I know these people," he muttered, "they are on the Marine watch list. They must be his friends, and it appears they have infiltrated other areas within the Marine organizations and other enemy lines outside their group. Perhaps your theory was correct, girly one. Teach is…more dangerous than he allows himself to reveal."

He crumbled the pages with frustration. "And he's easy to write off as an _idiot_! A coward who flees at the first sign of trouble!"

"Then, this is for Marine attention," Law said with certainty. "They can deal with this. Perhaps getting into touch with Sora – "

Stealth Black speared him with a fearsome look at the visible praise in Law's tone and Law trailed off awkwardly. Lips tight, Sanji glared at the pages then roughly stuffed them and the thingy into Law's hands.

"You and I have different ideas as to what the right thing is, so _you_ do it," he spat, as if the concept was disgusting. Law frowned at him, pocketing the thingy but holding onto the pages reluctantly.

"Sa – _Stealth Black_," he said slowly as the masked villain crossed his arms and turned away from him with a childish air. "You're already half way there. So you might as well as go all the way."

"How was this thing made possible in the first place?" Penguin asked with a bewildered tone. "Who had it in mind to even come up with the concept?"

"The government itself is a questionable ground for morality," Stealth Black snapped at him. "More than likely they came up with it in order to transport Sora about the world faster in case of an emergency. He has it on him at all times. But information leaks are nothing new. With the indication of Teach's group infiltrating various agencies to spy for him, it's apparent that this is the case. Scum bag. Forcing me to contribute to this inane conversation…"

"Makes sense," Penguin said slowly.

"What a mess," Law muttered. "But the positive thing is, we intercepted it in time."

"You'd be the heroes you'd only worshipped from afar if you'd contributed to stopping whatever intentions they had," Stealth Black said snidely. "The world would adore you for it. The Marines would praise you, recruit you. Then we'd be separated by an even wider chasm than before!"

Law stared at him, unsure of the dramatics. But Stealth Black's tone and furrowed brow gave him the impression that the villainous prince was feeling a little frustrated. He stuffed the pages into his back pocket.

"Then we destroy it," Shachi said with determination. "All of it. You already laid waste to Sora's, right? This is Teach's – just take us back to our place then come back and destroy it!"

"But there's no telling how many are out there, and it they have the plans, they can design another one. These deviants can travel between worlds, setting up for something nefarious…and we're the only ones to know about it," Law realized. He fretted. "We have to let Sora know what's happening! Only he can put a stop to this permanently…"

"I will have no part of it," Stealth Black told him firmly. "It will divide my family. _Ah_, perhaps this is the reason I am killed! Because I am part of this! You're setting me up to die!"

The four of them froze, realizing this at the same time.

Stealth Black looked at Law with shock. "It isn't my family that ends up killing me. It is you. Because it is found out that I abided and assisted you lot with discovering Teach's treachery…how does that feel on your conscience?"

"Or the government," Penguin said softly. "You said this is part of their work. In the timeline, that prison is under their control. So it would make sense that they'd take you out and then place the blame on your family but agitating the situation so that they're fighting you and…_whew_…that's…my conscience hurts being so right about this…"

All of them fell silent. The World Government, in its sense of justice, would take to a despicable action to keep the world under control. Perhaps this was the reasoning behind Sanji's death in the comics; he knew too much.

"Even more reason for you to come over to our world," Law said stiffly. "You'd be safe there."

"Would I?" Stealth Black asked sharply. "I stand out. Sora would know I'm there. In fact, whomever is monitoring your media would know I was there."

"Then settle down. Reform."

"What a foolish concept of a warrior," Stealth Black snapped peevishly. "I was raised with my siblings to be a calamity against those who cower against power. I cannot just – toss aside my cape and declare neutrality! I'm a vicious, killing machine! A hardened soldier, a ruthless villain bent upon destruction and ruin!"

"Yes, yes, you're so savage, you constantly have to prove this to your own family but the birds and the villagers treat you like a Disney princess…"

"…Was that sarcasm I detect? What is a 'Disney'? And who the shit are you calling a _princess_, shit head?"

Before Law could answer, Penguin pushed him aside and showed Stealth Black his cellphone. On it was a college course for a cooking class, the bright ad plastered with cheery emoticons and prepared dishes. Stealth Black's attention was riveted on the picture.

"Free cooking classes," Penguin said, elbowing Law aside when he made to argue once more. "Oh, and look at this, this will make you trip – there are buffets around the city that are constantly hiring. What's better than your life, now? Being able to cook and provide for people that love your cooking, or fighting constantly to prove yourself as a sub-par warrior? And look – we have brothels for 18 and up."

"_SUB-PAR_ \- !" Stealth's Black's face reddened, but he looked once more at the cellphone. Tapping his fingers together, he asked, "What are brothels?"

Law pushed Penguin away. "Don't you dare! Do you realize you're enticing a child?"

"_What_? You let him watch porn while you were working - !"

"They're places where you can buy women for some one on one entertainment!" Shachi said hastily, rising to his feet once he realized the topic had captured Stealth Black's interest.

Stealth Black perked up. "Oh? Conversation and…hand holding? Discussing current world politics with a lady and treating her to some companionable differences of opinion whilst romancing her with some fair treatment and justice?"

He was treated to visible looks of confusion while Law palmed his forehead.

"_Yes_," Shachi mumbled. "Hand holding…I'm sure they'd like that…"

"Oh," Stealth Black looked flustered as he considered this. "That sounds marvelous. Women slap me before I can offer to do so. Reiju has often mention she'd dreamed of her own hand holding business once she retires, and father made it sound like she'd suggested something crass – "

"When and where can we meet your sister?" Shachi immediately asked, adjusting his glasses thoughtfully.

"Your sister sounds like she can hold my hand anytime," Penguin squealed.

Law managed to kick them both in the nuts. Both of them crumbled to the floor while Bepo reflexively covered his protectively and Stealth Black looked at him with astonishment.

"_Your own men_?" he cried. "You're ruthless!"

"You guys don't know what you're asking for when you bring up that name," Law admonished the groaning men on the floor. "Never say that name again – never even imagine, for a moment, that the encounter you dream of is a pleasing one. I've seen death, and it has pink hair, a purple dress and a Kardashian vocal fry."

Stealth Black processed this for a moment then looked at Law again. The masked villain seemed to glow with respect, but Law wasn't sure for what, exactly.

"I would like to encounter these things that your vice-captain has suggested," Stealth Black then said. "I am convinced. The adventure elsewhere sounds more exciting there than here."

Law turned and frowned at him while Penguin leaned over sluggishly and tied his shoelaces together while Shachi fought not to vomit. "Brothels and cooking classes, huh?" Law huffed. "Nothing else?"

Stealth Black blinked up at him, but because his goggles obscured his vision, Law couldn't see his bewildered expression.

"I'm sure it'll be fine if I vacation there whilst maintaining my reputation when my father calls upon me – "

"You'd have to lose contact with your family, Stealth Black!"

"Bahhhhh! They'd come find me!"

"Just like they had when you were lost the first time! They were more interested in me than they were with you, and certainly gave me more respect in the first ten minutes of introduction than they had with you in…how many years? How old are you?"

Stealth Black crossed his arms stubbornly and glared off to another corner of the room.

Law noticed what Penguin had done to his shoelaces, and bent to fix them. The shanty exploded once more, showering the area with debris. A loud scream of pain penetrated the din as the Heart Pirates were sent flying onto the sandy beach, their bodies bouncing off the sand. After they'd settled, all of them were groaning and complaining, Bepo moaning about his scapula.

Law lifted his head, glasses cracked. When he removed them, he sat that Teach was standing there, holding Stealth Black aloft by the collar of his cape. To his dismay, Law saw that Stealth Black was utterly still in the bigger man's grasp.

"Ze ha ha ha ah ahhah!" Teach laughed merrily, still wearing his Marine prison garb. He had left the top half dangling around his waist, which displayed a mighty gut and a few Marine handguns pushed in around the waistband. A sweaty red bandanna had been tied around his neck, standing out against the colors of the prison onesie. He walked out from the debris with a few careful steps, his black energy swirling around him. "What an interesting conversation I overhead…your efforts to rescue the third Vinsmoke prince is quite…questionable. Considering how useless he is…"

Teach tossed Stealth Black aside like he were a rag doll, facing the pirates as they all registered the new danger. "I realized I targeted the wrong person. All this time I was lead to believe that the Vinsmokes were all powerful beings, created by their father to be formidable opponents. Possessing power I could take from them. Here, I should have been targeting _you_."

Law searched himself for anything bloody or broken, but he was sure he was only going to emerge from this bruised and sore. The sand may have caught him, but it had crept into unmentionable places. He winced.

"_Your_ powers would be more useful," Teach chuckled. "That way, I could talk myself out of any situation, create a calamity of error just standing there! I saw what you did for that village back there. I do have to thank you for that. Ever since word was let out over my actions, every pirate with a chip on their shoulder wants my agenda for themselves!"

"Great," Penguin muttered, spitting out sand from his mouth. "A villain that actually chats us to death…"

"They really do that, don't they?" Shachi agreed with surprise.

"Guys," Bepo whispered over to them, sand all over his face. "We can do this. Together. We have to combine our powers together to get out of this and return to our own world."

"…We don't have any powers, you freak."

"I am convinced that we do!" Bepo cried, climbing sluggishly to his feet, sand falling away from him. He faced Teach with determination, Law glancing over to Stealth Black's prone form with worry before looking back at the man. Reaching into his fanny pack, Bepo withdrew his deodorant spray.

Penguin shot to his feet and withdrew a lighter from one of his cargo pockets. "Great idea, buddy! We can fight him with fire!"

"Is that thing a negative space holder?" Shachi asked Bepo of his fanny pack, unsure of whether to do anything.

Law rose, glancing around them for something to use to fight a man with actual powers with. He knew that Teach might have the Devil Fruit flaw on him, and glanced back at the ocean water. Seeing that Penguin and Bepo had a plan, he quickly fled to the shore, Shachi gaping after him incredulously.

Attention caught on the pair of men that were facing off with him, Teach activated his abilities. Pure black energy cackled noisily around his meaty hands, both men looking apprehensive. Shachi looked on with pure terror, unsure of what to do against some guy with black energy enveloping the light around him.

"What is that?" Teach asked Bepo warily, as Penguin flicked his lighter.

Bepo looked at the can of spray. "It's to make sure I don't stink when I sweat. I get _real_ sweaty when I'm nervous."

"WAS THAT YOUR PLAN?" Penguin and Shachi shouted at him incredulously as Bepo sprayed himself carefully.

"I'm so _sorry_!" Bepo apologized to them both, replacing the can back into his fanny pack. Then he folded his hands in front of him, head down.

After realizing that nothing was to happen, Teach laughed noisily. "How was it that you lot defeated those pirates? With misfortune and luck? Ze ha ha ha ha ha! Now…"

His energy exploded around them, and the three trembled nervously, hands in front of their faces.

Wearing a venomous expression, Teach snarled, "To take away your new reputation!"

He paused in mid-movement as Law came running back, hands clasped over his mouth. The sight was so startling that Teach looked at him dumbly while the others looked just as bewildered. Law paused in front of Teach, hands on his knees before he looked at his friends. He waved Bepo close, Teach's eyes moving from one to the other as the balding man awkwardly followed the order. Then Teach looked to Law, clearly unsure of what was happening.

"Ze ha ah ah hahaaaaaah…what are you doing?" he questioned suspiciously.

Law faced him, pulling his shoes off. He patiently tied them together as Teach waited. It suddenly occurred to him that Law's face looked abnormally swollen. Before he could question that, finger lifting to point curiously, Law spit sea water directly into his face. Teach screamed in surprise, wheeling backward. Law launched a foot directly up into Teach's groin, the man losing several shades of color before curling over to grab himself. Once he fell forward, Law wrapped his shoes around the man's thick neck, then tightened the laces until Teach's face purpled. He pulled the man's bandanna over his face and tightened that as the man strangled.

"Bepo," Law commanded, hand out. Bepo immediately tossed him his deodorant can. Law sprayed the material over Teach's face with the rest of the contents, Teach coughing noisily as he was smothered by both his bandanna and the chemical locked into it. Law looked at the others. "Run like fuck."

The three ran off into the trees once more as Law hurried over to Stealth Black. Seeing that he was unconscious, Law struggled to lift him. But dead weight was dead weight – seeing that he couldn't and Teach was recovering by ripping off his bandanna, Law began searching Stealth Black's utility belt for useful items. He found what looked like a small spray can, unsure of what was written on it. But he hoped it wasn't deodorant. He sprayed the contents to find that it was some type of antiseptic, and quickly located Stealth Black's lighter.

He jogged over to Teach just as he ripped off Law's shoes with a heavy exhalation of air and curses. Not giving him a chance to recover, Law sprayed the antiseptic over his hair and face, flicking open the lighter. Teach lit up brilliantly in flames, the man shrieking in pain and dismay. He veered immediately towards the ocean, realized what a bad course that was, and settled to rolling frantically in the sand.

Law raced back to Stealth Black, shaking him heavily. Seeing no response, Law tugged off his boots, shoving them awkwardly over his own feet. He grabbed hold of Stealth Black within both arms and shot up into the air as Teach screamed bloody murder, hair smoking and breaking off in clumps.

"_You will pay for that, fiend_!" Teach screamed, awkwardly jogging after him, hand still cradling the family jewels. But as he entered the tree line, Law fighting his fear of heights and gravity, Shachi raced past the distracted Devil Fruit user and slammed a huge gob of chewed gum over his nose and face; Bepo followed by with a heavy branch to the head. Teach sucked in surprised air, wheeling and tripping backwards with an awkward flail of his arms. Penguin raced by, grabbing one of the guns Teach had stuffed in his waistband. He crouched and began firing randomly throughout the foliage until the surprised scream of a bear shrilled out. The animal turned to see them, then charged in their direction, Teach sitting up with shock. Penguin rolled closer to Teach and fired at the bear to direct the animal towards them, the animal charging over with another mighty scream.

Penguin, Shachi and Bepo abandoned the man, the bear rearing over Teach with a roar that nearly deafened him.

"See? We can do this!" Penguin told the others breathlessly, all of them hearing the screams and shouts of Teach battling the angry animal.

"Why didn't you just shoot the guy?" Shachi asked him impatiently. "That'd solve all our problems!"

Penguin stared back at him with confusion, then looked at his gun. "Guess it never occurred to me to actually _kill_ a dude, before…"

"We're going to need this," Shachi told him, holding up a gun he'd taken from Teach's waistband. "But I gotta warn ya, all the experience I had in shooting a gun was my fingers."

"_I_ can do this. I'm a gamer," Penguin said with confidence, tucking the gun into his cargo shorts pocket as they battled the terrain. "Just point and shoot."

"But can you actually do it?" Bepo asked with uncertainty.

Penguin looked scared at the thought.

Once they emerged into a clearing, they saw that Law was still in mid-air, holding Sanji awkwardly by his cape. He pointed towards the waterfall they'd see earlier. "Take cover there! Just jump straight down by that bush there – you'll land on a ridge!"

"I'm not randomly _jumping_ \- !" Shachi shrieked in protest, but Penguin and Bepo obeyed with shrill screams. He paused at the edge and watched them land down on a ridge below, safely rolling aside of each other.

"Hurry up or he'll find you, and you're dead in a brand new world," Law advised him breathlessly from above, looking sick. "Think of our luck so far – it'll be fine."

Shachi had to admit they had strange, absurd look. He took a few deep breaths as Teach's victorious shout rang out, the trees rattling with a mighty crash of sound. Shachi crawled over the edge, clinging with timid fingers. He immediately lost his grip and fell, but he was caught by the ridge. Bepo and Penguin grabbed him and forced him up against the cliff wall, all three of them panting from their efforts while Law watched over his shoulder with measuring action.

He looked down at unconscious Stealth Black, then came up with a plan. "Get his attention!" he ordered of his bewildered friends.

"We're trying to hide, not to get that wacko's attention!" Shachi screamed at him.

"Just do it! Trust me!" Law pinned Shachi with a dangerous look. "Or I'll tell Bon Clay that _you_ were the ones stealing off with his RSVP pens."

Shachi gasped with outrage. With pure might he screamed, the sound echoing off the cliff walls, Penguin and Bepo wincing and clapping their hands over their ears. Satisfied with Shachi's cooperation, Law veered out of Teach's sight, cramming himself up against one of the trees nearby.

Once the man emerged from the tree line, drawn to Shachi's wild screaming, Teach stomped over in that direction. He caught sight of the men that looked up at him with fright, laughing as he prepared to shoot them to Kingdom Come. Law shot forward with a wild swing of his arms. He used Stealth Black's unconscious body to hit Teach with, knocking the bloodied, smoking and dirty man right off the cliff edge. Teach soared over the trio with a wild scream of surprise, falling into the wide, swirling pool below.

Penguin cheered noisily once he saw that Teach was submerged. "Ha! Ha! You beat one motherfucker with another!"

"Yeah, I know, I'm a little clever," Law admitted, finally dropping Stealth Black onto the firm surface and landing himself. He practically hugged the ground.

"Well, get us out from here!" Shachi yelled up at him, causing him to groan a little.

It took some time and effort, but once Law pulled his friends up and over the edge, the four of them rested for a bit. Shachi prodded at Stealth Black's forehead, concerned that the man was out for so long while the four of them were living the adventure.

"I wanna go home," Penguin then sighed. "As much fun as this was, I don't know if we can survive another encounter…"

"You are one crazy dude," Shachi then told Law. "I always thought you were the quiet dude no one fucked with because you radiate cringe, but then you're out here, casually taking on superdudes with spit and effort."

"Literal spit," Bepo added.

"Sea water weakens Devil Fruit users," Law said on a tired sigh, rubbing at the back of his neck.

Shachi didn't feel like asking what that was while Penguin wore a puzzled expression and Bepo nodded solemnly.

"_Literally_," Penguin punctuated with a hand slicing through the air, "you've spit on everybody here and won."

"Yeah, I know, and I have weak cheeks."

Shachi and Penguin looked awkward while Law said this with bewilderment.

"How are we going to get this information to Sora?"

Law lifted his head with a start. "Didn't Stealth Black say he was being pursued by Marines?"

The trio looked puzzled. "He did."

"So…where are they?"

A terrible scream rent the air right at that moment, causing birds to call out and take flight. Law paled significantly while the others looked around with a puzzled expression.

"STEALTH BLACK! YOU IDIOT! I KNOW YOU'RE OUT HERE!"

"Oh, god, is that another one of the island animals?" Shachi fretted, quickly rising to his feet. "It almost sounds human!"

"WE KILLED THEM FOR YOU, YOU MORON!"

"Father's so pissed at you right now…literally, he's going to snap your neck for inciting Marine attention…"

"WAIT'LL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, THEN IT'S CURTAINS FOR YOUR LITTLE SIDE SHOW!"

"Father's going put you in the dungeon for real…and I'm going to make you pay for making me sweat out in this horrible heat. My hair is going so flat right now…and there's so many little bugs out here…and I'm so _sweaty_! I hate when I sweat so much, it's so gross…"

Penguin looked to Law, and saw a man looking back at the war trenches with a look so shell-shocked that he was near drooling point. "Is that the…Vinsmokes?"

Brought out of it, Law glanced at the others. He quickly pulled Stealth Black up with a grunt. "_Flee_. Hurry. Before it's too late - !"

All of them stiffened as their vision blurred. A feeling so retched caused cramps to topple them, all of them pressing hands to their stomach. Bepo vomited noisily while Shachi groaned, kicking at the air as he rolled onto his back. Law held tightly onto Stealth Black, breathing in the combination of smells as Penguin winced, sweat breaking out at his forehead.

Poison Pink sauntered over, tucking hair behind her ear as her brothers continued to shout out in the distance. Her expression went from bored to sultry once she saw she had new victims to play with. Her metallic material purple Raid Suit was near similar to the one she wore in the comics, but this one was a skort style with a full sleeve mesh t-shirt, chest unsupported underneath. The design depicted on her Raid Suit in the comics were now stickers clearly seen over her nipples beneath the mesh. Her boots were thigh high, rimming the bottom of her 66 tattoos. She removed her headset to rest around her neck as she looked over the group with a menacing glee, lips licked with delight.

Both Shachi's and Penguin's faces visible sunk with some sort of self-preservation as they looked at her. Law saw their dreams crushed right before their eyes – clearly, they were expecting a hottie that was similar to the comics, but all they got in real life was an early 2000's pop-tart.

"Ah, what have I found here?" Poison Pink questioned, pink mist settling around them with the weight of her strength. Her vocal fry felt too obscene for this time of day, causing Penguin's eye to twitch visibly. Her butterfly designed cape flapped against her thick legs, the design as deadly as looking into the eyes of a venomous creature. Every part of her screamed "danger!". "Four little boys, lost in the woods…and one troublemaker."

"…_Resist_!" Law coughed, looking at the others. She looked to him with delight. "Resist with all your might!"

"_Oh_, I _tripped_ somehow!" Poison Pink exclaimed, using her brother's prone form to catch her as she tossed herself up against Law, who clawed at the ground in an effort to pull himself away. She maneuvered herself up against him, using a heeled boot to shove Stealth Black aside. "So. We meet again. I knew it would happen. Why would you do that, knowing you're only denying yourself the pleasure of my company?"

Her fingers walked up from his sweaty chest to flick at his Adam's Apple. Her tongue snaked out, and he drew himself back with much effort, knowing he'd lose his skin if that poisonous organ touched him.

"Look away!" Law cried helplessly as Poison Pink then rubbed at one of his ears. "_Agghhhhh_!"

"Oh, stop, you're being dramatic," she scolded him with a light slap of his shoulder before looking at the others while sitting with her legs halved and yet spread wide open. Shachi screamed, turning his head, breathing in terror against the dirt. "More gods from your planet? Hello. I am Reiju."

She used her boot to snake her way up one of Bepo's legs, and the man sweated like the nearby waterfall. "Aren't you a handful? I also happen to be a fan of plump…chickens. More for the feasting…and I'm always a hungry woman…"

"_Law_!" Bepo cried helplessly, wiggling his leg wildly in an effort to jostle her foot away. The toes of her boot found what her foot was looking for, and his voice shrilled several octanes in life-threatening panic. "_Help me_!"

"Can you please just let us go?" Law asked her, fighting off her hand as she reached back to delve into places no woman's hand had _ever_ explored. He squealed like a frightened animal as he closed his legs and twined them together, ankles crossed.

Poison Pink whirled around to look at him with excitement. She crowded over him with an arm over each side and her near flat chest heaving over his shoulder. "Haven't you ever thought that it was because of your prudishness that you've yet to experience adventure? My fingers are quite gifted. But together, we will _all_ experience heights we've yet to see! I take it you're all friends, so shouldn't friends explore each other closely to see what they're capable of giving and receiving? I'd always dreamed of being the filling in someone's sandwich!"

"I'm going to throw myself off this cliff," Penguin decided, army crawling towards the edge. She quickly stood and grabbed him by his ankles, laughing as he screamed, fingers leaving harsh trails in the dirt as she yanked him away from the cliff.

"Have you ever found a woman that could dominate you like a man?" she questioned, opening his legs without much effort and dropping to her knees behind him to mime fucking him from behind. This caused Penguin a horrendous scream as he sought to protect himself, but she gripped his hips firmly and pounded against him with a firm heave of her own hips. "Aren't you in good shape? I want to see if all of you is as built as you look – I enjoy exploring a man's crevices with all parts of me."

"Leave him as bait! We can escape!" Shachi said to Law with desperation, the three of them straining to flee to the tree line while Penguin begged them not to leave him. Poison Pink realized her prey was trying to escape, and pulled Penguin after her by one leg. She grabbed Shachi's ankle, then Bepo by his pants belt loop, then reached for Law. She laughed as they struggled in vain against her monstrous strength.

"Oh, clearly you're all demure, modest _virgins_," she said thickly, licking her lips. Her expression turned demented, shadowed with terrifying determination. Causing all their junk to try and retreat into their bodies for safety. "I will feast heartily for the next few days! My brothers are morons, they won't even know what I'm doing. They think I'm merely mauling a man. And I am. _With my vagina_ – "

"_Sanji_!" Law cried piteously in the unconscious man's direction. "Reiju's touching me!"

Poison Pink let them go and quickly covered her chest as Stealth Black sat straight up. All the men quickly retreated to hide behind him as Stealth Black somehow regained consciousness sitting there. Once he realized he was looking at his sister, he gave a confused cough.

"Reiju," he greeted, shaking his head. "What are you doing here?"

Seeing that he was still out of sorts, Poison Pink realized she was safe. She crouched in front of him with her knees closed properly. "Are you okay?" she asked with concern. "Once father realized you were dragging Marines after you in some weird chase across the seas, he sent us to see what was going on."

Once Stealth Black regained his memory, he stood up quickly. He caught sight of four terrorized men hiding behind him while Poison Pink hopped wide out to the side to avoid his punch. He looked back at her suspiciously, hand pressed against his side. His uniform was burnt and ripped there, Poison Pink catching sight of this with a puzzled tilt of her head while Stealth Black heard his brothers yelling for him from some distance away.

Realizing he was looking down at feet without boots, Stealth Black looked around with confusion.

"What happened?" he muttered, spying them on Law's feet. Law hastily returned them to him while the other three used him as cover, keeping him between them and Poison Pink. "Where's Teach?"

Standing shakily with an apprehensive look at Poison Pink, who looked the picture of innocence, Law reported, "I managed to dump him over the cliff. We weren't able to confirm what happened after that."

"That's ocean water, so perhaps it diluted his abilities," Stealth Black said with a thoughtful examination of the flow coming from the shore beyond their sight. "Wherever it takes him…well, it'll give us time to escape."

"Sanji," Poison Pink said firmly, reminding him that she was there, "father is very angry at you. You'll have to report back to him on why you were involved with the Marines in the first place."

"I don't have time for that. This is a matter that's…bigger than that," Stealth Black said with resolution.

"Well, when Ichiji gets here, you'll have to convince _him_ of that."

Stealth Black tilted his head, locating his oldest brother west of their location. Sparking Red's whiny complaints were just barely audible over the din of wildlife and the waterfall nearby. Electric Blue's voice, while loud, seemed a little faint. He was northwest of them. It was Wrench Green they had to be careful of, considering how soft spoken he was. Resolute, Stealth Black nodded at his sister.

"Forget you saw us. These men, I'm removing from this planet. They're too much trouble."

Poison Pink whined with a complaint, body deflating. "But I didn't even get a chance - !"

"NO, sister. _Geez_. Oh, and we'll discuss your hand holding business at another time," Stealth Black added, urging Law and the others to start moving towards the beach. "After I do some investigating for myself, I'd like to add my input on your business aspirations. Perhaps we could assist each other."

"I doubt it," Poison Pink told him flatly, crossing her arms with disappointment as the quartet practically ran from her. With a heavy sigh, she shook her head. "This thing about Marshall Teach – what of it?"

"He's Wanted by the Marines. He's been spying upon them and taking from them what he feels is necessary in order to try and establish himself in Law's world," Stealth Black told her. "However Law defeated him…well…you'll have to respect it. Teach can steal powers from an individual, but…fortunately, he had nothing to steal from me."

Poison Pink shrugged. "I'll give you a five minute head start."

"Thanks, Reiju."

With that, Stealth Black then darted after the others. Poison Pink snapped her fingers. "Next time, boys. Sanji can't always be there to save you…"

* * *

A/N: I think Reiju is scarier this way…I busted out my office set and drew a couple of things! Check it out on my Tumblr

**Guest**: All of them are superhumans in their own standing in this world, but none of them have powers against the might of Reiju, who clearly showed them who their daddy was XD

**nehalenia**: I hope that it continues to entertain until the end! (Though, Teach is way mightier in the manga – pretty sure he's a very strong opponent, but he's the one I chose to pick on in this fic lol) Law is full of clever ideas, but he's not as clever as he sees himself when the SH come along. He's just an awkward fanboy that hides behind his intimidating physical appearance (HAH) and I'm just exploiting that here. It's good to know that he's still a kid on the inside. I totally see that scene with Shachi and Law as you'd describe – I'm absolutely positive this was canon at one point lol! Sanji is a frustrating idiot in this fic because he's still a Vinsmoke, and those kids are just…_terrible_…and he has yet to accept himself for who he actually is. Pretty sure he can get help with that :D One of my delights is inserting Disney references to every one of my OP fics and this was just another one of those hints XD

**VisitorNo.18**: I love thinking about how awkward these dudes are. I can't wait to explore more of that side after I'm done with all the amazing action scenes I'm writing (lol!) It will definitely not end without it – I have the scene ready, it just needs editing and the right moment. :D

**Naghi-Tan:** Their luck almost ran out, against their most mightiest enemy ever! Reiju. And I drew some things! Just a couple…thanks for having faith in me :D


	18. Chapter 18

**: : 18**

"Take my boat," Stealth Black directed them with a point of his hand in the direction of a black craft floating on the water. Without the modern conveniences of vehicles they were used to, the four looked upon the thing like it were a joke. "Navigate your way away from the island while calling in a distress signal to the local Marines. Command attention for Sora. Say your name. He will remember you and respond quickly."

"He probably won't," Penguin sniffled, wiping his face and neck with his hands. "God…I need a bath…I need something Lushy…I feel so filthy…"

"We all do, buddy," Shachi said with sympathy, holding the collar of his tank top closed to his throat.

"I've never felt so _unmanly_ in my life," Bepo wept, Law looking at them all with sympathy while Stealth Black looked annoyed.

"Don't get me wrong, I like aggressive women but that was…" Penguin trailed off, now understanding why Law had reacted the way he did earlier. His expression was pitiful, Shachi patting his back companionably. Bepo hugged them both from behind while Stealth Black looked at them with utter revulsion.

"There is a joke in here somewhere, but I feel it's a very sensitive subject to joke about," Law said, earning outraged looks in his direction. He looked to Stealth Black. "And you? You realize we've never been on a boat in our entire lives – "

"I partied on a yacht with some Youtube friends," Penguin spoke up. "This can't be too hard."

"THERE YOU ARE!"

Electric Blue slammed down into the sand near them, showering them with dust. Stealth Black faded away abruptly, the four covering their faces with shouts. Rising, Electric Blue faced them, grinning wildly. His cape fluttered about strongly around him, the bright number 2 standing out against the dark colors of his Raid Suit. It wasn't that different from the comic depiction, but Niji's suit was fitted close enough to be called a body suit with leggings. He had silver wings at the heels of his boots – the only true detail that stood apart from his brothers'.

"I've wanted another round with you," he snarled at Law, whose friends quickly grouped behind him for safety, watching bolts of electricity sparkle around the man's rather broad shoulders.

"You wear that outfit _seriously_?" Penguin muttered, a bit let down as they were confronted by someone other than Stealth Black. He took in the man's outfit with a wince. "God man, have some respect for yourself…"

"What's WRONG with MY OUTFIT?" Electric Blue demanded of him, his loud voice causing all four men to cringe at the volume.

"It…shows off a lot, doesn't it?" Shachi asked skeptically. His eyes struggled not to drop. "Shows off…practically everything in detail. _Unneeded_ detail…"

"Hah! I am streamlined for zoom-zooms," Electric Blue told him with a nasty laugh. He bounced from foot to foot lightly. "I am the fastest death you'll ever see in your life!"

Penguin wiped his face as he asked incredulously, "How can you spit as you talk with such distance…?"

"Wow…really through…man to man? I'd suggest a bottom cover up," Shachi then said. "Because that's…really revealing _every_thing, there."

Electric Blue looked puzzled, then looked down at himself.

Law exhaled patiently.

"Ah ah," Electric Blue pointed to his headset. He depressed the 6 there. "I can't hear a word you say! Therefore, your verbal assaults are meaningless! I will beat you so soundly that Sanji will cry! Wherever that coward is!"

"_I don't cry_!" Stealth Black snapped, causing Electric Blue's head to whip in that direction. Law saw his advantage. He looked to the others as Electric Blue shouted, "HAH! You're the biggest crybaby on any island!"

"Follow my example," Law whispered grimly, the trio nodding in response.

Once the blue haired Vinsmoke faced him, Law began to speak – but he was only mouthing his speech, which caused the second prince's forehead to furrow with confusion. When Law looked to Shachi for confirmation, Shachi nodded and mouthed off his own response. Penguin realized what was happening and added in his opinion, causing the pair to look at him as if he were crazy. Shachi slapped hand upon hand with his insistence while Law shook his head and "disagreed".

Bepo kept silent because he was absolutely positive he'd ruin this.

"You guys aren't even talking aloud!" Electric Blue exclaimed, striding up to them. He leaned his head in to hear Law speak as Law addressed him, but Law refrained from emitting any sound. Shachi and Penguin blew up into an argument, wildly gesturing and pointing at Electric Blue.

"_You guys aren't even saying anything_! Knock it off!" Electric Blue shouted, looking a little frazzled. He gestured at his headset. "I was lying! I can hear everything! I know you're just talking shit in front of me about me, so say it out loud! Talk to me like a man! Are you even men?"

Law shook his head as Shachi 'insisted' towards him, Penguin bellowing his words to the sky with a dramatic flail of his arms. Electric Blue slapped his own head a few times, removed the headset and tried to understand what was happening. Law gestured at him while arguing with Shachi and Penguin removed the gun from his cargo shorts and fired directly at the second Vinsmoke prince's left boot. The force caused the motor in his thrusters to explode, sending him spiraling away with a scream of surprise. He slammed right into the boat with a forceful slam, denting the wood and steel like a forceful punch. He slowly slid back down into the sand with a low groan.

Penguin looked at the others. "_Sorry_," he whispered. "I got carried away."

Law looked over to see Electric Blue looking out of sorts. "No, no, that's a great touch." He gestured at the others. "Help me."

Together, the four of them hefted the man up between them and carried him out into the water, dumping him into the shallows. Electric Blue coughed and sputtered, then rose up with a furious expression, blue hair wilted and clinging to his face and neck. His uniform was completely soaked.

"You – _cowards_!" he snarled. "Tricking me! I will _end_ your lives! Piece by piece!"

He then caught himself before he could activate, face filling with alarm. Law snapped his fingers with a muttered, "Drat."

He looked to his friends, all of whom were hastily climbing back towards shore. "He's got us. He outsmarted us."

"We're going to _die_!" Bepo cried aloud while Shachi removed his glasses to wipe his eyes and Penguin looked nervous.

Once out of the water, Law turned to face Electric Blue. "Then here we are. Do away with us what you will."

With excitement, Electric Blue shot forward, heel thrusters at full blast. But the destroyed left heel sent him into a whirl in mid-air, causing him to flail wildly to catch his balance.

Shachi cupped his mouth with both hands. "I can see your balls!"

"I'm doing to dab them on your face!" Electric Blue threatened, sparking to life. But once he did he fizzled noisily, dropping from mid-air to hit the shallows once more. He sputtered, flailing in the water. "I've lost control of my legs! I've – I'm _dying_! I'm _drowning_! I'M DROWNING!"

"Let him drown," Law muttered, turning away from the pathetic sight as Penguin and Bepo looked crushed at the sight of their once treasured comic book villain drowning in shallow water. Shachi was the only one to laugh and point at the Vinsmoke prince that screamed in panic while still remaining half submerged, clearly able to stand to save himself.

"Hurry onto the boat and get out of here," Stealth Black hissed from Law's right. "The system isn't that hard to manage. You follow the arrow on the log pose. There is a map there for your convenience. The den-den mushi is strong enough to reach any available Marines, and if it's true that my brothers defeated them, more will be on their way here. It isn't like they'll capture you and treat you like criminals."

"Come with us, or we'll get lost and die," Law insisted as the others climbed up onto the boat. Electric Blue screamed, gurgling as he reached towards the sky, hands shaking.

"I can't," Stealth Black insisted, still invisible. "My family…needs me."

"No we don't," Sparking Red said, showing up without warning and slamming hard into Law to send the human flying through the air with a grunt. Stealth Black immediately shot out to save him as the eldest prince settled into the sand and caught sight of his younger brother. "Niji. _Idiot_. Stand up."

Electric Blue stopped flailing and rolled onto his hands and knees with a surprised sound. He looked relieved that he wasn't drowning.

"You stupid alien, using your incredible wiles to trick us," Sparking Red said to Law, Stealth Black fluttering into view as he gingerly let him down into the sand. Law looked pained, cradling an arm over his chest as he struggled to get his wind back. Stealth Black looked at him with some concern as Sparking Red turned to address them. His uniform was much looser than Niji's, but it gave him a sloppy appearance. His broad shoulders were slouched while he walked with a lazy sort of air with his head leading.

Penguin chewed at his dirty nails with utter disappointment while Bepo looked upset. Shachi placed his hands on his hips and wondered if number 1 on Sparking Red's cape meant that this sibling was badass.

"You left us in a mess the last time you visited," Sparking Red continued, his voice causing Bepo and Penguin to twitch, "and that really sucked. We weren't done talking. Here, I offered to show you the world and you rejected my proposal. I had an _awesome_ proposal. I was actually luring you into a trap and you just…walked right over it. Caused chaos. Caused my father distress. He's sensitive. You almost gave him a heart attack. I hope you feel proud of yourself."

"Oh, _god_," Penguin whispered behind one hand as Electric Blue stomped out from the shallow water to drip onto the sand behind his brother. "That voice…it's _awful_! It's like a bad Four Kids dub!"

"It ruins _everything_," Bepo agreed, near tears.

Shachi looked around them with speculation. "Is Ramona's exes going to appear soon? Isn't that what his voice reminds you of? Scott Pilgrim?"

"Because you caused us such distress," Sparking Red continued, fist lighting up with a red glow, "I'm going to make you regret ever being born."

Law held a hand up, Stealth Black supporting him from the side gingerly. "Wait…wait…before you do," Law panted heavily, hand still grasping his chest. "I have…but one question of you."

"I don't know if I feel like answering it," Sparking Red said, shaking his red head. "Everything about this place is causing me discomfort, and you're drawing it out like I give a damn about your curiosity. But…speak. I might as well. I hate hearing Sanji cry all the time."

"I DON'T CRY!" Stealth Black snapped at him, dropping his hold on Law to stand aggressively. "Stop saying that I do!"

"Oh, boo hoo!" Sparking Red shot back at him. "You're doing it right now!"

"No I'm not!"

"Well, your voice is trembling…"

"No it's not!"

"This is so pathetic," Penguin told Bepo, who agreed with a heavy nod. "They sound like damn children."

"How _old_ are these guys?" Shachi asked with bewilderment.

"Sanji, you crybaby!" Electric Blue yelled from behind Sparking Red, causing his older brother's shoulders to jerk at the close sound. He turned and whapped his younger brother atop of the head, Niji looking at him crossly as he rubbed the wound.

"Don't shout so close to me," Sparking Red admonished him, whiny voice held a little firmly with the scolding. "Anyway, enough of stupid Sanji. What's your stupid question, stupid alien?"

"You emit…plasma bursts, right?" Law asked curiously, Bepo and Penguin bracing themselves against the railing in order to hear the answer all the fans had been arguing about in forums. "Or are they pyrokinetic emissions?"

"It's…well," Sparking Red looked at his glowing fists. "Well, when I shoot them out, like this…"

He demonstrated by turning to the side, ripping up the beach with an impressive display of plasma bursts that sent sand flying.

"It goes _dit_-_dit_-_dit_! And when I do this…"

Sparking Red tensed and burst outward, sending Electric Blue flying back into the water.

"It's basically just me exploding excessive energetic matter into the air," Sparking Red explained, ignoring his younger brother's curses from the water. "I can transfer that to my fists and use it to punch holes in _literal_ material, no matter the material."

"But in our books, it looks like fireworks," Law then said slowly, rubbing his chest. "Like Jubilee from X-Men. Very useless power unless you're looking to blind someone with a pretty color…"

Sparking Red pointed at his glasses. "Why do you think I always wear these, fool? For _fashion_?"

"…Well…."

"Shall I show you my might?"

"Honestly? I don't want you to." Law glanced off to the shallow waters, watching as Electric Blue sloshed his way back to shore. "I don't even think you're that impressive. All you're doing is blinding people with your light. It's a little pathetic."

Sparking Red growled, teeth gnashing together. Law felt Stealth Black's hand grasp him by the back of his pants, tensing to move fast. After a moment, Law turned to look at him, hand reaching out to settle onto Stealth Black's shoulder.

"Save my friends," he said low. "Take them away from here."

"I'm not going to do that," Stealth Black told him in an equally low tone.

"Sanji," Sparking Red said suddenly, straightening up. "Hey, what are you doing here in the first place? Why are you consorting with the alien? Are you thinking to defend him from me? Father's going to be so pissed about that…"

"You're their only chance on escaping from this planet with," Law told Stealth Black over Sparking Red's annoying complaint. "I'll stay and fight your siblings. Distract them. That way, you can argue to your father that you did nothing to defend me with, but you removed other troublemakers from the scene in order to save your brothers."

Stealth Black shook his head. "No, I'm not going to abandon you."

"Saying it like that makes me feel like you're only intending on doing so because of a deeper reason…" Law looked away with a blush.

Stealth Black's hands shot out with incredulousness. "What does that even _mean_? Your maidenly behavior is back again! I don't know why you'd react in such a manner when I am only doing this because it is to prevent your death!"

"I am _talking_ to you!" Sparking Red reminded them impatiently.

"What are they doing?" Penguin whispered to Bepo, both of them looking puzzled.

With confidence, Shachi crossed his arms and laughed. "Oh, this is a distraction technique. It's awesome. It's so convincing. If they say 'No Homo', it'll be fine."

"Are you…shipping…them?" Penguin asked him curiously, causing Bepo to gasp.

"_No_, wait, _what_? What's _shipping_?" Shachi asked, looking back at him.

Law sighed, turning to look at Stealth Black. "If it's not obvious by now, I guess I just have to say it. I…I like you. As more than just a character I'd once admired as a fictional being. I want you to leave this place and…come live with me."

"Oh," Stealth Black answered, looking puzzled. "Oh, well…I like you, too. You're a very strong…character? And I admire power."

"…No. I don't think you're understanding what I am saying."

"I know _exactly_ what you're saying. We admire each other's strengths. As men. But, admittedly, you have a bit more admiration towards me than I am…comfortable with," Stealth Black stuttered nervously. "It almost feels like you have some…romantic notions towards me, like maidens do towards knights. I have accepted it, but I don't - "

Law looked a little flustered before lowering his voice even further so only Stealth Black could hear it. "I'm saying I like you enough to want to…hold your hand."

Stealth Black gasped. His entire face and head reddened. "_I knew it_…! You've made me feel the same way! Your psychic mind storm has had me in its grip for quite some time!"

Law wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or flattered by that admission, but he knew he felt _something_.

Sparking Red stomped a boot into the sand. "Include me into the conversation! How do I know you're not just talking about me?"

"I think Law just confessed to him," Bepo whispered excitedly to Penguin, who froze with a shocked look while Shachi looked bloodless. Wildly slapping Penguin's shoulder, Bepo squealed with joy. "I think that's fantastic! This explains so much!"

"How do you fall for someone _that_ stupid?" Penguin hissed back with horror, hands to his sweaty head and upsetting his hat.

Shachi's mouth dropped open for a few moments before he composed himself. "Well…dumb blondes have their appeal, I guess…"

"Well, I…I mean…you're like a blushing maiden falling at my feet, and I am pretty manly to encourage that sort of attention," Stealth Black then said clumsily, sweating profusely, hand to his masked mouth.

"No," Law told him firmly. "I want to XXX you with my XXX and XXX on your XXX and XYZ your XXX dripping XXX over your foot with my XXX mixed with your XXX and XXX all night long while you're XXX'ing. For breakfast, lunch and dinner, just XXX'ing with XXX and XXX for dessert. For at least five or ten minutes, just…XXX and XXX and maybe more XYZ."

Stealth Black looked confused.

Sparking Red wondered what 'XXX' meant while Electric Blue squeezed water from his blue bang.

Penguin, Shachi and Bepo wondered why Law censored himself by using only 'XXX' to explain, but it was probably for the best because they got the gist of it.

"Uh," Stealth Black then muttered, perplexed. He looked at his gloved hand, wondering how to XXX it. Law knew he'd have some explaining to do, but it did its part. "For five or ten minutes? That's…a long time…"

Law then looked at Sparking Red and Electric Blue. He cleared his throat delicately and chased the embarrassed heat from his face. "Sorry you had to hear that," he then told them. "But it was…a man to man conversation that none of you would ever understand."

"We're men!" the pair shouted indignantly while Stealth Black looked alarmed. He didn't understand the conversation – was Law suggesting _he_ wasn't a man?

"_We're_ men and we don't even understand what was said," Shachi grumbled.

"I…don't think we were supposed to," Penguin reminded him politely while Bepo blushed.

"_Oh_! Right!"

"That does it, alien!" Sparking Red shouted indignantly, bursting with tremendous power and sending Electric Blue flying again. "You've insulted me for the last time!"

Law looked at Stealth Black, forcing him to turn his head to face him. But he removed his goggles so he could peer into confused blue eyes. "I _command_ you to take my friends away from here and get them to safety. You'll do this because you really…really want to know what XXX in the XXX means, and I do want to find out what it feels like to XXX an XXX."

Stealth Black winced. He jerked away with a curse, winded by the strong feeling that made him feel like only he could obey Law's request. Compelled to do so out of a foreign need to earn Law's approval.

"_Only_ because your powers command me to do so," he snarled at the older man, jerking away from him as he replaced his glasses back onto his face. "I am but your puppet to control!"

Law grabbed his arm, lowering his voice to add, "Tell Penguin and Shachi to aim for the boots. They know what I mean."

"Calculating brute," Stealth Black muttered, but was unable to hide his respect for, surely, a clever plan amongst the alien group.

Sparking Red watched as Stealth Black faded from view and Law was left standing on his own to face him nervously. Once he realized his younger brother was up to something, Sparking Red turned to look at the boat, the three men on board looking horrified with his attention.

"Sanji!" Sparking Red shouted out, fists lighting up. "I'll destroy that boat and those fools you're trying to save!"

"No you won't!" Law bellowed back, catching his attention. He lowered his voice so that they had to strain to hear him. He patted his pockets to make sure he was still carrying the thingy and the pages, and was satisfied to feel both. He relaxed. "On that boat, currently, is an indication of your father's failure. Something he was trying to hide from his children. You destroy it, you destroy any chance you'll have at learning what it was."

Sparking Red turned back to face him. "What evidence? Of what?"

"Ask your father," Law told him spitefully. "He and I had a good conversation about it while you were soaking up ocean water."

He looked to Electric Blue, who was huffing his way out of the water. "I'm surprised you're working with _him_, by the way…considering how much he wants your position."

"He is second in line to the throne, of course he'd want to rule," Sparking Red snapped at him.

"Enough to plot to kill you."

"I haven't done no such thing!" Electric Blue roared at Law. "Don't listen to him, Ichiji! He's fucking with our heads again!"

"You were dumped into the ocean _seven_ times, Ichiji," Law reminded the older brother grimly. "He knows that's your weakness. He's testing you. Seeing just how strong you truly are before he decides to destroy you and take the throne for himself."

Despite himself, Sparking Red looked at Electric Blue once more. The younger brother actually had the grace to look a little nervous. The boat began to pull away from the shore, Penguin hastily pulling up the anchor. The sails fluttered down, Stealth Black showing Shachi and Bepo how to tie it in place. Once the sails were ready, the boat yanked away from the shallows and headed immediately towards the vast blue horizon.

"Speak of this evidence that you've planted on that boat before I destroy it," Sparking Red threatened Law. "Before I destroy _you_. And then I'll teach my younger brother a lesson for being so weak as to obey the likes of you."

"Well," Law said slowly, looking down at the sand and realizing he was still barefoot. Only his socks protected him from the grain. One toe revealed itself from the dingy white material, and he wiggled that with a grim frown. "Years ago, your father made a decision to build his empire with children forged from his own imagination and strength capable of toppling entire cities for him to conquer and rule…which is you guys. Yet, as the years passed and it became obvious, your father realized that his dream come true was actually a failure. You guys have all the power…but you're all fucking disappointments."

Sparking Red and Electric Blue's faces grew tense, each vividly recalling Law telling them this the first day they met.

"So he came up with a plan," Law continued. "A plan to learn from his mistakes. To create…new ones. You mentioned a laboratory where you guys were grown from, Ichiji, yes? I wish I'd agreed to see that lab. Because in that lab are clones. Of all of you. But better versions, all without the pitiful attitudes and disappointing personalities…that was his failure. He removed certain emotions but didn't realize that these emotions would benefit for a better suited personality."

"That's a lie," Sparking Red scoffed. "I'm in that lab daily to learn of father's findings in order to become a similar ruler as he. There are no clones of us present in there."

"That you know of…but whatever happened to your mother?"

"The head scientist failed to perform her duties and was slaughtered, as all failures are."

"Tell me, Ichiji…" Law balled his fists at his sides, glancing from the corner of his eye to see that the boat was safely far from shore and gaining speed. "Why has your father never thought to explain to you what the birds and bees were?"

Both men looked puzzled. They glanced at each other then around themselves. Electric Blue pointed at some birds flying about while Sparking Red adjusted his glasses with a confused look.

"Why would we want to know about those things?" he asked Law impatiently. "We don't care about them."

"It's because he doesn't want you to _breed_, idiot. To carry on a kingdom, wouldn't you think that it was necessary to marry you off to a woman to create more children to carry on the family line?"

"It's called a laboratory, _idiot_. That's where children are made. _Whatever_ would a woman be good for other than her brains?" Sparking Red asked incredulously.

Law stared at him with disbelief, then quickly recovered. "So, explain to me the recipe – er formula to create them. How do you create a human being out of thin air?"

Electric Blue looked panicked as he glanced at Sparking Red, who flapped his lips soundlessly for a few moments.

"He doesn't want you to breed because you're all idiots that can't carry a proper thought in your heads! He isn't sending you off to conquer lands – he's sending you off to kill you and yet you're too stupid to die!" Law shouted at them. "On that boat is his signed confession. Wouldn't you want to see it before you sink it?"

"These are all _lies_ you speak of!"

"_Is it_? Then why hasn't he allowed you to feel all the basics of human needs, which includes breeding? Have you ever had your sheets washed because you experienced a very detailed dream of…of hand holding?"

"No, _moron_, they're washed because we like the fresh scent of the sea clinging to them as we fall asleep! Holding the hand of a woman is great, but not the top of our list of things to do!"

Law was only vaguely relieved that Sanji felt opposite of this. This meant he had some basics of human sexuality to him. A both relieving and terrifying thought. He gathered breath to finish his point.

"No real man feels that way! We all want to hold the hands of someone we like, even going so far as to texting first and liking a weeks old Instagram post as we lurk through their past! That's every man's mission! To get laid! And you don't experience that, so how can you be a _true_ man?"

Sparking Red's jaw clenched as Electric Blue looked in the direction of the boat. "I'll find this supposed evidence to prove you wrong!"

After a few moments, the eldest Vinsmoke prince took to the air to give chase while Electric Blue hissed with frustration, examining his broken thruster. Law smirked. He had confidence in that his friends, with Stealth Black's help, would fell the older Vinsmoke prince easily. Separating the siblings to battle individually was his plan – together, the group would prove to be actual trouble; he had confidence in that aspect.

Then he looked puzzled. "_Wait_. Where's Yonji?"

Electric Blue's head lifted with a mystified expression, scanning the beach for his younger brother.

"You communicate with each other with that thing, right?" Law verified, tapping at his ear to indicate the set on that blue head.

"Yeah, of course!"

"Then is he so soft spoken he can't be heard from there?"

As Electric Blue called out for Winch Green's response, Law realized that he hadn't made sure Teach was down and out. Considering that the brothers had traveled together, it wouldn't make any sense for Yonju to wander off without the other two. He had to think that Teach had somehow overtaken the biggest Vinsmoke prince, so he had to think that Teach could somehow accumulate the man's powers. With that in mind, Law made some adjustments to his plan, looking back at the trees and the area of the waterfall.

He then looked back at Electric Blue, who was hastily trying to dry out his cape. The sight of his skinny body encased in that overly tight bodysuit made Law wince.

"Teach is capable of stealing powers," he told the blue haired man. "He tried to steal your brother's, but – "

"HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY!"

" – he doesn't have any. You do. You need to prevent that from happening, because Teach isn't going to give them back," Law told him grimly.

"Then I'll offer him you instead!"

"You can try," Law said vaguely, "but I am but a normal human being with a newly gained feeling of confidence of what I am capable of in this world. I might be stronger than you, actually. Care to take a wager on that?"

Electric Blue snarled at him, returning his cape back around his shoulders. "I'll beat you soundly once I win! And that's a promise!"

He ended up using one thruster to shoot up into the air, maneuvering carefully to adjust. Once he shot away without hearing a response from Law, Law then looked to see Sparking Red catching up to the boat in the distance. He measured the length of time he had left, then reached into his pocket to retrieve the thingy.

He recalled how Stealth Black had used it to examine the coordinates, and searched for differences in the runes displayed. He chose one of the three that looked similar, and pressed on the green button. Transported back to the apartment building that Teach had been using, he dashed towards the staircase to head back to his own apartment.

: :

Reiju watched with horror as Teach, having clearly fought a vicious opponent that had left him near dead, carried Yonji over one shoulder. Her youngest brother was clearly out of it, his heavy body carried easily by a man that towered over all of them. Teach looked pissed beyond reason – missing most of his hair, his clothes tattered and torn, soaked thoroughly. Reiju had a feeling it wasn't Yonji that had left him in this condition – after all, she'd seen Law in action while Sanji was parading him around the island. As he looked at her, Reiju trembled a bit before tensing.

"Girl, can I offer you my opinion?" Teach then asked her politely.

"Sure," Reiju answered cautiously, keeping her distance just in case she had to flee.

Teach winced before saying, "You might earn a little more respect if you were more…covered. Displaying yourself like that is such a shame. You're more than just a hoe. You are clearly the brains of the operation. Carry yourself better."

Reiju lifted her eyebrow, hands at her hips as she stood proudly. "When a man has something he's proud of, doesn't he show it off? Might, strength, brains – he does what he can to show the world that he's capable. A woman shows a bit of a nipple and all men forget their next thought, calling us 'demons' because they can't think any further than their basic want. What makes you think I don't know what I'm doing?"

"_Ah_." Teach looked reprimanded, then chuckled sheepishly. "You're right, girlie. Absolutely. So, my next offer – would you like to be my woman?"

"Fuck no. I have standards, believe it or not."

"After spending some time infiltrating your army," Teach then said, walking forward, Reiju having to follow at a safe distance, "I realized that the boys are useless themselves. They're with the brains of children, but the bodies of warriors. But you have brains _and_ strength. Your father only succeeded with you, so how will you take that throne?"

Reiju chuckled. "Ah, typical question from all you overconfident bastards. A lady never shares her secrets casually."

"I wouldn't think so! Ze ha ha ha ha ha!" Teach laughed, slapping Yonji's back merrily. "Oh well, a man has to give it a try! Did you know, from the sounds of it, you'll be one brother less by the end of the day?"

"I'm aware," Reiju commented. "And it would be absolutely fine by me."

"Then…walk away." Teach looked at her. "Turn your back and forget that you saw me. This situation…should only be handled by men."

"I will go because there should always be a woman on scene to watch," Reiju said. "If only to motivate her brothers and to give catty comments whenever necessary. But I should warn you, you shouldn't think of me as a lesser opponent just because I like to flash my tits. Last warning…"

Teach laughed in delight. "Alrighty, then. Watch me as I dispose of your brothers, one by one. Then reconsider my offer."

Reiju smirked at him with confidence. "Try as you might, but I'm afraid we're not all easy opponents. And if you should encounter the alien, you might want to think twice."

She had the fortune to see Teach actually look worried at the thought of encountering Law and the others again.

* * *

**Naghi-Tan:** Thank you! :D


	19. Chapter 19

**: : 19**

Stealth Black hung up from his curt distress call for any aid from any Marines nearby, describing a Vinsmoke attack. Shachi watched as Sparking Red "ran" towards them in mid-air, cape whipping majestically with the wind. Shachi adjusted his hat and glasses, wearing a grim expression as Bepo fretted next to him. Stealth Black was showing Penguin how to steer the tub, and amidst his instructions, Penguin told him about his yacht party – complete with babes in bikinis and a feature on this year's Youtube Rewind. So, Shachi deduced that Stealth Black was a little distracted by the mention of babes in bikinis. He withdrew the gun he'd taken from Teach from their earlier battle on the island.

The ocean was vast and Bear's Claw island was already a thin line in the distance – out in the horizon ahead of them was a thick smattering of shelf-like clouds that looked a little ominous and dark, thunder rumbling softly. It seemed like a wall itself, a wall against the edge of the world. But Stealth Black had told him that storm was moving away from them, hours from their position now.

"Point and shoot, eh?" Shachi muttered as Bepo clung to the rail and emitted terrified screeches at Sparking Red's nearing appearance. The bigger man was full of anxious energy with all his pointing, shrieking and pacing. "I've never shot a gun in my life, but _today -_ today is the day I become a real man!"

"Well, hold on," Bepo interrupted himself to speak to Shachi wisely. "Don't think that you can hit anything in this wind. Consider the range and the trajectory of a moving bullet through an unpredictable breeze. You could only be wasting ammo. Also, do you even know how many bullets you have in that thing? He could've drained it on his way here and kept it for sentimental reasons. _Also_ \- !"

"Shut up, Bepo!" Shachi screeched at him, hands trembling awkwardly on the weapon. "I'm the only one that can save us now!"

"Consider the fact that this is a battle trained warrior who can evade bullets with ease! And besides…" Bepo carefully reached over his shoulder and rearranged Shachi's hands. "There. Take a wider stance. There we go. Push your chest out, lean forward. Lock your elbows. Alright. Good pose. Now…_ease_ into the trigger."

After following his instructions, Shachi narrowed an eye, following Sparking Red's movements. He couldn't tell if the Vinsmoke prince was looking right at him, but he eased pressure onto the trigger. The explosion of the bullet caused his body to rock backwards, and Sparking Red easily shifted to the left to avoid being hit. Shachi crashed against Bepo, who caught him firmly and reset him back into his position. Stealth Black whipped his head around to see what was happening as Penguin glanced over, rudder gripped in both hands. The boat shifted direction, sailing over waves and resettling into a different course that Sparking Red had to adjust to.

"Try again," Bepo told Shachi, who reset himself. He started to sweat as Sparking Red took a few steps closer and started to fly towards them. Firing again, he grunted as the man avoided that with a tilt of his shoulders, in Superman pose now.

Shachi lowered his gun and looked around himself. "We're gonna die. I used to swim in my apartment complexes public pool when I was nine. I'm sure I can remember how to do so here."

"Don't lose hope and confidence, Shachi," Bepo encouraged him. "Let him get closer then try again."

"Bah! Both of you, _all_ of you are stupid idiots!" Stealth Black cried in exasperation, darting out to them and looking at his brother's incoming appearance. He exhaled heavily, gathering courage to actually make a move. Despite all their training exercises, their sibling wars – this one fight would be different. His older brother would either kill him for real or at least leave a _horrible_ skin bruise on him. The thought made his skin twitch.

"Hey, you cool battling your own family?" Shachi asked him curiously, deciding to leave the hard stuff to him. He leaned against the railing with an elbow while Bepo fretted at his relaxation. "Like, doing this is definitely going to cause a rift. They probably won't want to talk to you after teaming up with us. Y'know…loyalty and shit?"

"Your leader has mind manipulated me," Stealth Black answered grimly. "I can only hear and obey his commands helplessly, like moss caught in the ocean current."

Shachi adjusted his glasses. "Dude…that's pretty much your own conscience doing these things to you. Because none of us here can take that guy seriously. And if he tries to boss me around, I just give him a _look_."

"It's different for you aliens, because you all come from the same world! You all have your individual monstrous strengths! _Of course_ you'd be immune to his will!"

Shachi barked out a vapid laugh. Then he stopped abruptly, a cold look of horror crossing over his face. His arm snaked over his stomach. "Oh…_oh god_…"

Bepo stared at him with confusion as Stealth Black tilted his head, looking vaguely alarmed. Penguin looked over, uncertain as to what was suddenly happening. Then he watched as Shachi's face started to pale, so he looked up to see what Sparking Red was doing. The man was abruptly close, and either it was the shock of the incoming situation or the fact that a real life supervillain was coming at them; Penguin wasn't sure.

Stealth Black suddenly grabbed Shachi by his arm, snarling, "Aim for the boots!"

He threw the redhead at his brother as Sparking Red descended towards them. Bepo screamed in horror while Penguin gasped as he watched Shachi thrown like a mere toy, losing control of the rudder. The boat spun slightly over the waves it was shooting through, catching atop of one and causing a brief moment of weightlessness as he and Bepo lost their footing. Shachi watched himself leave the boat's deck, the ocean expanding suddenly with the severity of its broad space and color. His stomach lurched as he lost grip of the gun and his heart did a flip flop.

Unexpectedly, he vomited just as Sparking Red made to kick him out of the way. The first Vinsmoke prince shrilled with disgust as spatter hit him, coating over his pure white and red boots and catching into his cape. He spun out of control as he made to avoid the man, thrusters misfiring with his foot movements, and he crashed directly into the ocean instead.

Stealth Black was in awe as Shachi was pulled down by gravity to meet the same fate.

_They follow his orders with such blind conviction_! _Powerfully conditioned to hit correctly without much of an aim_! he thought with admiration as he shot up and retrieved Shachi before he could hit the water. Holding him under one arm like a football, he scanned the ocean water for his older brother. The stark terror that a powerful Vinsmoke could be felled without even a use of a weapon had Sanji's very insides trembling with a sort of awe that he couldn't even fight against.

The brilliant red of Sparking Red's uniform was obvious against the ocean's green and blue water, Shachi heaving once more with a helpless lurch of his body. He was pretty sure he hadn't anything left – that was the last of the village food.

"Oh, _goooooooodddddd_!" he cried, wiping his mouth as his body felt the effects of some odd nausea. "What _is_ this? Your sister's doing?"

"Oh, dear," Bepo murmured pensively as he slowly understood what was happening. "Shachi is sea sick."

Penguin looked relieved as he saw that Stealth Black had caught their friend and looked as if the battle was over. He regained control of the rudder, steering them back towards the waves, both he and Bepo rocked by the sea's force as the waves fought them. "That's all it is? _Oh God_, are you sure Reiju isn't around?"

Both men looked around themselves with abject terror, searching for purple and pink.

"Bro," Shachi moaned, "put me the fuck down on land, please."

Stealth Black realized what had happened, looking at him with surprise. Law had been sick the entire time he'd traipsed about the battle island, and it looked as if Shachi was the same. His awe disappeared abruptly as he realized that this was only the continued luck of their misfortune powers. Still, he had to admire the guy following his friend's direct order. It had taken out Sparking Red.

He returned them both to the boat, Shachi groaning noisily as he rolled onto his back, arms and legs splayed onto the deck. Bepo attempted to fan him.

"_Shachi_!" Penguin snapped at him. "What the hell, man? I was _totally_ going to invite you to the next party, but if you're going to be singing to the sea every time you step out on a boat, forget about it! You can't just be vomiting on bikini babes! You'll become a meme!"

"I don't want to go to your stupid Youtube parties!" Shachi snapped back at him, rolling onto his stomach. He burped uneasily, hand over his mouth. "God, take me back to land…!"

"You're embarrassing me _already_!"

"Oh, ho ho hoho! Don't get me started, Wade Wilson!"

"_STOP TALKING_!"

Stealth Black removed his face mask, frowning grimly. His hands were shaking as he pulled out his cigarettes. Discovering that his lighter was missing, he tossed the hand rolled stick over into the ocean instead. His hands went to his face, pulling off his glasses. He rubbed his face with both palms and stared up at the sky with a sort of defeated expression.

_How can I fight that sort of power_? he thought morosely. _This show of might just proves that I am absolutely his to control as well_…_my loyalty to my family_…_is severed_…_I must respect the will of a stronger man and become one in return_.

Sparking Red chose that moment to climb onto the boat, struggling with effort. The three men gasped, reacting with fright while Stealth Black struggled to compose himself.

Panting noisily as he clung to the deck, Sparking Red snarled, "I will kill each and every one of you slowly…but _your_ death will be the slowest for vomiting upon me! I can still smell it! So disgusting…_never_ have I been so insulted by having two aliens expel their inside matter onto me! It has changed me, left me a broken and damaged man! Physically scarred! For this, I will do _whatever_ it takes to remove your insides and - !"

"Sir," Bepo interrupted cautiously as Sparking Red climbed onto the deck and stood as proudly as he could muster, "you say two of them had already spewed upon you? Well, if you take out our insides, the spatter will only hit you once again. So perhaps you shouldn't – "

Penguin winced as Shachi army-crawled towards safety. "Bro, seriously, my guts are a combination of Hot Cheetos and Mountain Dew and Chik-fil A, so you might wanna think twice about that red dye explosion – "

"_ENOUGH_!" Sparking Red barked viciously at him, Bepo hunching. After spearing them with a dangerous look, he demanded, "Hand over the confession my father signed. That alien gave away your true purpose."

The four looked at each other with confusion as he held his gloved hand out, indicating for them to obey.

"The _confession_, you lousy scumbags," Sparking Red repeated slowly. "Give it to me. He has already signed your death sentences by confessing that you have it. Stupid dumbasses…"

"One of Law's weird plans," Shachi hissed to Penguin.

"Ah. YES! The confession! The confession Garuda signed under duress, the confession of all confessions, a confession that'll ruin you and the world! THAT confession!" Penguin exclaimed, looking to Bepo. "_He_ has it."

Bepo fretted, dancing from foot to foot while Stealth Black wondered whatever his father had signed a confession to. But he could not question Law's abilities of speech. He took a step in front of Bepo as the big man opened his fanny pack to look for a confession that he knew wasn't there. The sight of a folded paper caused Sparking Red to gesture once more for them to obey his command. It was only a flyer Bepo had packed before their adventure to the abandoned apartment building, advertising for an adult superstore's grand opening that was picked up from the sidewalk. The four of them had snickered about it, but each had planned on his own individual visit for later dates.

"You'll never see it," Stealth Black hissed at his brother.

Sparking Red looked to his younger brother with venom. He straightened grandly, soaked thoroughly, red hair hanging around his face. But he steamed as his frame shimmered with red heat. Ever so slowly, his hair began to regain its signature height and style as it dried. "And _you_! For allying yourself with these – these – _demons_! Maybe I won't allow father to punish you – I'll do it myself!"

Stealth Black had an unwelcome montage of his older brother beating him throughout their entire childhood and most of their adult life. All the kicks, punches, acrobatics – all of it told him that this battle would end the same way if he let it. But these men were Law's friends – and he'd commanded Stealth Black to protect them. Despite his certainty of yet another sibling fight to near death, he exhaled heavily, a look of hesitation on his features before he pulled his face mask back up.

He took position in front of the other three while Sparking Red completely dried off. Tapping his heel against the deck, Stealth Black considered his options. He could take the battle into the sea, but he was sure to drown – he wasn't the best swimmer out of the siblings. He could take the battle to the air, but Sparking Red was fast and could use the distance to blow up the boat from the distance.

But perhaps he could sacrifice himself for the others to gain distance and time in order to reach the Marines. That was all he needed to do.

"_Fuck yes_!" Penguin suddenly shouted, pointing ahead of them. "Look! Those are Marine ships, yes?"

Shachi and Bepo whirled to see massive ships moving in their direction, flags with the familiar insignia whipping about. There were seven of them in all, and they looked a little intimidating. As their distance closed, the ships themselves just seemed to grow bigger and bigger, like sky scrapers on the horizon.

"_Tsk_," Sparking Red uttered, adjusting his glasses. "They only sent _seven_ ships after you, coward? For me alone, they usually send an entire brigade! After I'm done with you, I'll deal with them and hopefully your ghost will see this from the afterworld…!"

Stealth Black looked to Shachi, who noticed his grim air. "You'll be safe with the Marines. Tell them about Teach. Ask for Sora, Sora knows who you are. And…tell Law…I know he was drawing me whilst I was sleeping. He can keep those pictures."

"Er…okay…? What's with the – ?"

Stealth Black faded from view and moments later, Sparking Red coughed as he was tackled forcefully off from the boat. Their splashes into the water had the three of them looking on with alarm.

"A little melodramatic!" Shachi snorted.

"Um, well, a little background on that, Shachi," Bepo said nervously. "His brothers have always beaten him soundly throughout their entire lives. He's willing to throw his life away just to save us."

"What a legend," Penguin whispered, looking troubled.

Shachi blew them off with a snort and a wave. "What_ever_. The most disturbing part of this conversation was that Law was drawing the dork while he was sleeping. A violation of human rights! No wonder he didn't want us looking at his laptop! We should turn him in for being a perv!"

"You can't be imprisoned for fanart!" Bepo snapped at him. "He's not selling it for profit, so it's FINE!"

"Shachi," Penguin snapped at him, aviator hat ears whipping against his face, "don't you get it, yet? Leo did it to Rose and got laid!"

"…_Kate_…"

"Every character Leo plays is _Leo_."

Moments later, the sky behind them seemed to explode with light and shockwaves. Red flashed here and there while fire burst and whipped about as both men fought each other from surface to sky. Shachi looked back to see them connect several times in action, throwing fists meant to break bones and kicks that could have toppled trees. It was a little disheartening to see how many times Stealth Black took those punches to the body and face – as superhuman as he was, it was glaringly obvious who the strongest fighter was. Bepo and Penguin watched with the same gripping expressions, not paying attention to the Marines looming in the distance.

But a red explosion of light and heat sent a black blob of matter down into the ocean with a tremendous splash, and Sparking Red was once again moving their way.

"If he's dead, Law's going to be so pissed at us," Shachi murmured with trouble. "He's gonna tell Bon Clay everything about me. Including the fact that _I'm_ the one that takes sample bites of his lunch every Thursday…"

"That was you?" Bepo gasped with horror.

"It's kind of a ritual, now. If I don't do it, it just doesn't feel like a Thursday…"

"The Marines are too far away to save you guys now!" Sparking Red shouted, lighting up with an aura of blazing bright red as he positioned himself in the sky to fire.

Penguin abandoned the rudder and reached into Bepo's fanny pack. He withdrew the flyer.

"Then _this_ goes down with me!" he shouted as Shachi dove to catch the rudder with both hands, straining to steer. Penguin stuffed the flyer into his mouth as Sparking Red hesitated. He lost the glow and dropped down onto the ship with a magnificent pounce.

Stalking over, he snarled, "Hand that over, peasant! Or I will dig it out from your stomach recesses myself. Your stupid idea for an ideal death would be absolutely useless, but fitting."

Penguin did so without hesitation. The moment Sparking Red discovered the scantily clad model holding vibrating toys in both hands and mouth in a provocative position, he froze. After several seconds of silence his nose spewed red, causing the other three men to react with disgust.

"Yeah, her _hands_ are pretty hot, aren't they?" Shachi asked sarcastically.

Before Sparking Red could recover, Stealth Black burst up through the bottom of the boat to slam into him with a ferocious shout of effort – blasting his older brother up into the sky and beyond the clouds with a savage, fiery kick. Unfortunately, the move sliced the boat into several pieces within the force, the trio slamming into the ocean without much of a reaction. Breathing heavily, Stealth Black fought to steady himself – his uniform was mostly in tatters, sleeves ripped and blackened, cape halved, and his gloves half-fingered. His boot thrusters sputtered a few times, clearly taken damage from the fight. His hair had been singed and cut in raggedy pieces and his face was already blooming with bruises. He felt exhausted from the very brief but very difficult fight he had with his older brother – once he saw that the boat was sinking in pieces into the ocean, he felt light-headed. Penguin, Shachi and Bepo broke through the surface, shouting at each other as they screamed about water temperature and sharks. Because it seemed that their lungs were working fine and the Marines were closing in on them, he felt it was fine to take a break. He fell out of the air and slammed into the water without bracing himself.

Clinging to boat debris, the trio looked at the area where Stealth Black had fallen. Penguin hastily dove in to grab what was left of his cape, yanking him back up to the surface. Seeing how battered the other man was made him wince. He looked over to the incoming Marine ships, then looked with panic at the others.

"Guys, if the Marines get a hold of him, there's nothing Sora can do that can prevent him from getting tossed into prison ahead of the timeline," Penguin said, adjusting his wet and heavy hat.

"What do you propose we do?" Shachi asked, his tone heavy with some sarcasm. Bepo watched the approaching ships with mouth-dropping awe. They were so large that they seemed to block out the sun, crashing through the waves that had tossed them easily like it were nothing. He could hear the voices of Marines in the distance, shouting to each other of their location. "We are _literally_ in the middle of the ocean, he's unconscious, they are right there – we have absolutely nothing on us to use to get out of the situation."

Penguin pushed Stealth Black to Bepo to hold, then tugged on one leg to show Shachi his boot. Shachi looked at him with utter disregard. Wiggling Stealth Black's foot, Penguin said, "Out of all of us, _your_ feet are the smallest."

"I will kill us all and not even regret it."

Minutes later, Shachi's arms waved about unsteadily as Bepo and Penguin clung to him, Stealth Black strapped by the remains of his cape to Shachi's back. All of them were screaming in alarm as they slowly left the water, all of them shouting directions at each other. Bepo and Penguin had seen the way Law had maneuvered through the air, so they were shouting at Shachi on how to direct his feet but Shachi's efforts were marred by the heavy bulk of the men that nearly crushed him with their weight and grip.

The Marines watching from their ships wore puzzled expressions as their commander lowered his binoculars with a confused tilt of his head.

"It appears three men are using Stealth Black's gear to escape," he said gravely, mustache twitching. "Stealth Black is beaten soundly."

"_They_ were the cause of it?" a Marine asked with bewilderment, using his own binoculars to see Bepo screaming shrilly while Penguin and Shachi screamed at each other. They dangled dangerously over the sea water then shot upward with ear ringing shrieks. For a moment it looked like they were going to shoot forward towards the island but instead reversed and scraped against the ocean water once more. They then sluggishly, with heavy jerks, began to rise slowly away from the waves. All of them were shrieking. He lowered his binoculars with a puzzled blink of his eyes. "But…it was confirmed that it was Sparking Red that Stealth Black were fighting…who would give me that information wrongly?"

"Commander…what…what do we do?"

"Well…continue forward. I'm sure we'll catch up with them. But, to be safe…" the commanded looked back at his ready crew. "Open cannon fire upon them. If they are able to render Stealth Black unconscious, then they are dangerous foes."

: :

Law reappeared back at the shanty location with a look of determination. He heard the boom of cannon fire in the distance, and shielded his eyes from the sun to see that Marines were approaching. They were firing actively at what looked like a moving mass in the sky – it was too far away to tell what, exactly. He then glanced around himself, feeling fairly confident of his actions. He'd put on new shoes (and socks) and prepared himself with items that he felt would be useful for later actions. Also traded out his Sora shirt because that would be very embarrassing to face his hero while wearing fan clothes while boldly in love with _her_ villainous son.

He hurried back to the point where he'd left Electric Blue and the others, bewildered to see that the area was empty. He looked back out at the sea to see how long it would take the incoming Marine ships to enter safe waters to disembark onto the island.

Something sizzled across his skin at that moment, and he whipped his head around just in time to see Teach's powers stretching out towards him like a net. Startled at the sight, he froze.

Poison Pink tackled him hard from the side and burst up into the air, cradling him princess-style.

"Ze ha ha ha ha!" Teach roared with laughter while Law struggled not to scream and protect all crevices at the same time. Teach had Electric Blue in one hand and Winch Green in the other, and he dropped both of them to the sand. Both of them were unconscious, Law noticed. "Girl! It's an all-out battle to see who comes out on top! Which will be me, because I am the strongest warrior here on this beach!"

"Whatever you did to my brothers," Poison Pink threatened, posing in mid-air while Law held his hands palm out as to not accidently touch anything, "you won't do to the alien!"

"Oh? You are his savior?" Teach suddenly drew in his power, but wore a look of confidence. Law noticed that his right eye ticked, which reminded him of that night he'd tried to take Stealth Black's powers. "Not for long. I haven't come this far just to fail here."

"He failed," Law mumbled, furrowing his brow. "He didn't take anything from them. More than likely, he drained their energy only."

"Oh? How can you tell?" Poison Pink asked with a start.

"Sanji was weak for hours afterward when Teach attempted to take powers from him. Teach is a Devil Fruit user, right? He might have learned he could take powers, but probably only from Devil Fruit users. None of you have that ability, only genetically modified super powers that have nothing to do with the Devil Fruit."

"So…you don't have mystical eyes that see through anything?" Poison Pink questioned him, almost with disappointment. "Because I wanted you to see that my natural lip color matches my other pretty pink lips down south."

"_GAH_!"

Teach lunged up towards them, and Poison Pink swiftly swept away from him while Law was cut off in mid-shout. Teach managed to grab her cape and yanked her roughly backward. Poison Pink lost her grip on Law, sending him flying and hitting the sand with a rough tumble. She coated the air around herself and Teach with a mighty whip of her arms, jerking out of his grasp while he coughed and doubled over. Swinging away from him, Poison Pink watched as he fell back to the beach, then charged after him with a strong right hand that sent him flying, head over heels, back into the tree line. Foliage scattered and burst, bark snapping noisily as trees were felled under Teach's landing. Poison Pink dropped to the sand while Law coughed and sputtered, pulling at his waistband with unease.

She settled into a battle pose, mist growing and settling around her. Law scrambled away from that cloud, hearing the sounds of screams and shouts in the distance. Looking over, he realized that it was his friends doing all the screaming. Cannon balls exploded into the water and dropped around them, and while they were too far away for him to see exactly what was happening, he realized it wasn't Stealth Black doing the carrying.

"Where's Ichiji?" Poison Pink asked curiously, scanning the sky. "Wasn't he with them?"

The question went unanswered as Teach barreled out from the tree lines, slamming a meaty fist directly into her chest and sending her flying out into the sea. She grunted, helpless to stop herself before slamming into the moving waves with a tremendous splash. Law looked to Teach to see him moving towards him, eyes big with determination.

_I will die_, he thought resolutely, plunging a hand into his pants pocket and withdrawing his first item. Teach stopped short. Once he realized the other man was holding his distance with precaution, Law took a short step forward. Then another.

"What is that?" Teach asked suspiciously. "Bear spray?"

"Worse."

Law pulled the collar of his shirt over his mouth and nose, furrowing his brow. He was within range of the man, but he held his trigger finger solemnly over the can's nozzle. He'd slapped tape around the logo and plastered the smiling face from his chest tattoo onto it instead. Seeing that Teach looked genuinely bewildered by the can, he knew he had an advantage with this tactic.

"Continue charging at me, unless you think you're fast enough to endure," Law threatened him calmly.

Teach's eyes narrowed. "I've endured pepper spray, before, Paul. If you think that's going to stop me, you'll be in pieces before you know it."

"Then I challenge you to it."

Teach lurched forward to grab him, and Law shot towards him just to close the gap. He held his breath and pressed down on the nozzle. Teach made to hold his breath but the gas instantly clung to his skin and stung his eyes. In reaction, he inhaled sharply and began to cough noisily as it entered his lungs. Law sprayed the rest of the can into his face then lurched away, running to put distance between them. He only wanted to stall the encounter long enough for the Marines to be fully involved – it was the chaos he needed.

Between coughs, Teach rolled around on the sand. His lungs suffocated with the weight and chemicals that clung to it, rendered him woozy. His eyes watered and stung, and he watched with fury as Law made his getaway. Seeing that he dropped the can, Teach reached for it. He pulled the tape aside, read the logo, and threw it away from him. His skin was already flaring up, his throat tickling with reaction.

"_Axe Bodyspray_?" he howled, then erupted into hacking coughs. Rising unsteadily, he then began to move after him, determined to kill him.

: :

By the time the four collapsed onto a jutting cliff wall just north of the beach they'd left some time ago, Marines were already rowing and sailing in with a vengeance, all of them armed and ready for battle. It was amazing how fast and efficient they were, Shachi realized as he looked back to see the water covered with them. Penguin and Bepo were also in awe – there were normal sized men and giants carrying impressive weapons, all the while dressed in military garb and ready to give their lives in the name of justice. Penguin saw two commanders with the jackets fluttering at their shoulders standing in one of the rowboats, shouting out directions from their positions.

He exhaled heavily. He hoped _somebody_ had a plan. Bepo had removed Stealth Black's face mask and opened up his Raid Suit collar so he could breathe easier, but the three of them winced at the sight of his battered face.

"Oh, _yikes_. Got any Neospirin? Bactine?" Penguin asked Bepo, who opened up his fanny pack to look. Shachi continued to give that fanny pack a suspicious look.

"No," Bepo reported, pulling out a couple of Band-Aids with bear's faces on them. "Just these."

"Stick them on him."

As Bepo did that, Shachi looked down at the beach. He saw two Vinsmoke princes laying in obvious unconsciousness, but movement forced his head to tilt down.

"Look! There's Law!" Shachi exclaimed, pointing down at them. The three of them watched the man huff and puff his way through the sand, Teach hastily catching up to him. Hands on his hips, Shachi snorted. "He even runs like a dork. All legs. Just like Groot."

"Bet dude always skipped out on PE with some lame excuse," Penguin said with a shake of his head as Shachi mimicked Law's awkward gait.

"He's doing his best, you guys," Bepo scolded them both, balling up his trash and shoving it into his back pocket. Sanji's face had a couple of bear Band-Aids on it, the cheery print clearly sticking out.

Then all three realized the gravity of the situation.

"Uh, he's directing that big guy back over here," Shachi reported.

"Take this one," Penguin directed him, heaving the unconscious prince into his chest. "Fly out onto the sand, tempt Teach away like he was bait. That'll give Law time to catch up to us. Then _we'll_ run away, so you figure out what to do after that."

"HEY!" Shachi exclaimed indignantly, but Bepo and Penguin were already hurrying away from him. He knew he wasn't going to carry Stealth Black easily, so Shachi left him lying there. With a groan but also with some confidence, Shachi swung himself off the cliff. There were some rowboats already pushing up to the shore, Marines disembarking and racing off with shouts to give pursuit to the pair running on the beach. Guns were discharged, the noisy cracks of sound causing both Teach and Law to look back with startled alarm.

Shachi grabbed onto Law and pulled him up as Teach lunged after them. Law kicked wildly to prevent from being grabbed, Shachi veering back up to the cliff. Once landing, the pair fell awkwardly onto the hard dirt, catching themselves before they could roll down the ridge.

"I can't do this anymore," Shachi said as Law looked Stealth Black over with a look of horror. "Oh, yeah, his older brother was _pissed_ over something or another, but dude kicked him into the stratosphere and we haven't seen him since!"

Law wore a sad expression as he reached over and placed his hand over Stealth Black's forehead. "Poor kid…he went into that knowing he was going to lose. But he made it, he saved you guys. We have to return the favor."

"Law," Shachi began, looking uncomfortable. But he was unable to say anything as the sound of Marines shouting at Teach caught their attention. They looked to see Teach shouting back at them before erupting into a flare of black energy. He was up on the cliff side before either man could move, looming over them like a genie from a lamp.

Shachi looked up at him with terror while Law pulled out his next weapon, hiding it behind his back. Teach dropped down in front of them; Shachi noticed the red of his eyes, the puffiness of his face, and the sight of hives popping up on his bare skin.

"I am _allergic_ to Axe Bodyspray," Teach snarled at Law murderously. "This is the _second_ time you tried to kill me. This is the _last_ time you do so, Paul."

Law glanced at the Marines that were now either climbing up the cliff wall or making their way around to come up the ridgeline. More Marines were spilling onto the beach, with the unconscious Vinsmokes being manhandled into cuffs. He nodded firmly before smirking.

"My plan went smoothly," he murmured to himself before rising to face Teach, Shachi looking at him with bewilderment.

"What plan?"

"Take my powers from me," Law told Teach. "Leech them away from me before I unleash them onto those guys, and you'll absolutely be overpowered."

"Ze ha ha ha ha! _Yes_!" Teach laughed, energy swirling around him like growing snakes before flaring. "I will take them from you, and become more powerful than I ever have been before!"

"You don't have any powers!" Shachi cried, then his eyes dropped to Law's hand held behind his back. He shut his mouth then gathered Stealth Black to him. "_Law_."

Once Law acknowledged his action and nodded in approval, Shachi dropped off the cliff. "_You're a lunatic_!"

Looking back at Teach grimly, Law positive that Shachi would escape unscathed from the Marines, he backed himself towards the edge of the cliff. He glanced backwards to determine his position, then looked back at Teach once more.

"Well? What's taking you so long?" Law asked as the first of the Marines began hurrying up the ridge towards them, guns raised. Teach glanced back at them, then noticed a giant Marine reaching out to grab his ankle. Teach darted forward, his power overtaking Law.

Law froze before it felt like every one of his nerve endings had been doused with absolute fire. All his muscles locked up with such cramping force that he couldn't even move to use his next weapon. All he could do was clench it, a panicked scream building in his tightening lungs. Teach laughed merrily, kicking the giant's hand away. Bullets fell around him, the command to '_cease firing! Civilian in the way_!' ringing out mightily from those that could see the scene.

Teach's hand clasped his entire head, his palm hot against his face. Grimacing, Law struggled to think but the absolute pain was blinding. It felt like every one of his muscle fibers were being dragged out of place and rearranged – but his arm twitched and he slowly began to reveal what he'd been clutching.

Once Teach's eyes dropped, so did his powers. But his expression was enraged.

"You think to insult me with this gesture?" he heaved as Law collapsed in front of him, too weak to hold himself up. But Teach snatched the warm container from his hand, the stained box revealing the mess before he could open it up and look at it. "_A cherry pie from McDonald's_?"

"I…noticed…you liked…those," Law said weakly, arms shaking as he strained to brace himself. He could not imagine moving, now, wanting to just rest his head and take a nap. For a week.

Teach roared with outrage, crushing the container within one hand as his power flared away from him before abruptly vanishing. "You don't have any powers either!"

"_Eee_-ther," Law corrected unnecessarily before a faraway boom caught his attention. Before Teach could respond, Sora slammed directly into Teach with a rush of force and wind. Both of them slammed down into the beach away from the cliff as the Marines cheered noisily at her appearance. Seeing that attention was directed away from him, he put everything he had into crawling to the edge of the cliff.

It took several moments of courage and absolute trust into heaving himself up and over the edge, falling towards the water below.

Poison Pink caught him before he could hit, veering away from the destructive scene at the beach as Teach battled Sora and the Marines that swarmed around them to help.

"_Thank god_," Law breathed, heart thundering noisily as Poison Pink's wet Raid Suit soaked his clothes.

"I'm no god, but you're welcome," she told him, veering towards the tree line. Shachi and the others were waiting there anxiously as she arrived, their faces reflecting terror at her appearance.

"I'll _behave_," she promised with a smirk as Law dropped out of her arms. "Now what's going to happen?"

"We're going back home," Law told her as Penguin helped him sit. He looked grimly over at the third Vinsmoke prince, who was propped up against Bepo. "And we're taking him with us."

Poison Pink frowned, hand on one ample hip. She looked down at her younger brother with some worry, then back at them. "He's not going to like that."

"It's necessary. You guys won't miss him, right?"

After several moments of consideration, Poison Pink looked pained. But her expression struggled to show some positivity. She swallowed tightly, then nodded.

"Alright," she said low. "The others aren't aware of this exchange…in the chaos…you could just slip away. Just…be understanding. He's not like us."

"We _know_," the other three chimed in with exasperated tones while Law looked relieved that he didn't have to offer up his last weapons to convince her otherwise.

Poison Pink just smiled in reaction. She then crouched at her brother's side, and kissed his forehead. "Have fun, brother. I'll miss you," she said gently, tucking hair behind his ear before lifting away. "I'm going to go find the other idiot. Have a safe journey home."

They watched her take off into the sky, taking a direction opposite the one from the busy beach nearby. Law pulled out the thingy from his pocket and Shachi gasped in outrage, picking up his last resort weapons.

"_SERIOUSLY_?" he near shrieked as Law gave him a sheepish cringe. Shachi shook the condoms at him.

"I'm so glad I don't have to use them. She was nice, at least," he said, reddening with humiliation as he activated the crystal.

Before they knew it, they were back at his apartment. Bepo took the thingy from him, and veered to the kitchen while the other three relaxed with comfort within the safety of Law's apartment. Bepo used the wooden rolling pin Sanji had picked out from the thrift store to destroy the thingy. It shattered and broke apart, the crystal glowing once before fading out into oblivion.

The adventure was over.

For now.

* * *

**Mossflower1234**: I can honestly say they were much more fun to write than the other depictions I've written of them. XD

**Naghi-Tan:** haha! Now…to find out exactly what he was saying…


	20. Chapter 20

**: : 20**

Cautiously, Sanji peeked over at the prone figure that snored noisily on the bed, hidden underneath the blankets. His brow drew heavy with both concern and disappointment as he realized that Law was still sleeping. It had been two days since their return home, and the man only got up to piss, hydrate and cram in stale crackers before returning to bed. He even refused the coffee Sanji had Dadan make and preferred rolling over with some unintelligible words that could have been another language. Sora popped up behind him to look over as well, the pair of them cautiously clinging to the doorframe as the snores persisted.

"He is a normal human being," Sora reminded Sanji quietly, Sanji scowling at the obvious. "With Teach's attempt to take his powers, it would make sense that he requires a longer recovery period."

"He is but a very weak man," Sanji muttered bitterly. "So it makes sense that he requires less physical attention to his body than his mind powers."

Sora squinted at the mountain of blankets with consideration. "Well, it makes sense of an alien to cultivate their mind abilities and pay less attention to their physical bodies…"

Fist on the doorway, Sanji muttered, "Admittedly, those mind powers are the reason why I defected here. I was powerless to resist. I would blame this upon my father's teachings, as he only trained our minds and bodies to be strong when it came to winning physical battles…never had he thought to strengthen our minds against powerful mind attacks…"

Sora blinked with some concern at this bitter expression. "'Defected'?"

"I came here, as he…suggested that I do so. Saying all this nonsense about liking me for my physical strengths and character and wanting to live with me. Also, he spoke in code. Something about 'XXX' and 'XYZ' while holding my hand."

Sora made a strangled sound, entire body tightening and spazzing out at once while Sanji continued to look puzzled. The sound was drawn out as a clench of noise that shifted pitch in squeal to snarl. Sanji finally looked back at her with a puzzled expression, noticing the horrified expression that switched from horror to outrage to humiliation to shock.

"_I will kill him_," she vowed murderously.

He reached out and pulled the bedroom door close.

"You wake up that alien before I have a chance to gather my bearings, and I will _disown_ you," Sanji threatened his mother with venom. "I've yet to prepare myself to deal with his confusing suggestions and maidenly whims after coming away from a loss that I'd experienced so wretchedly at that island."

Sora ripped off her mask, revealing a masculine face with a feminine glow. She swept her gloved hand up to sweep off her hat in the same action, flat, blond hair gathered at the top of her neck in a rigid bun. She stared down at her son with a mixture of feeling while Sanji looked exasperated.

Her scarred palm hit her forehead as she struggled to recover. Hands on his hips, Sanji frowned up at her.

"Those are the _exact_ things he said to you?" she whispered.

"Exactly. Why would I lie? I had a feeling he was confessing but that was nothing I was expecting from another man. Is that even a thing?"

Sora had to sit, and when she did, she pressed up against the wall with a huge exhale, looking dazed. She looked as if she was struggling to get her bearings, but failing while Sanji frowned down at her.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" he asked impatiently. "Don't you have innocent lives to save?"

"I came to check upon my son," she said evenly, looking at the inter-dimensional transporter upon her left wrist. "Because he chose to disappear without much of my meddling for reasons…I'm sure you know of, by now."

"That I'd die in government custody because I was brought into this mess? This is your fault, too. You sent me here. Essentially, you set me up to die as well. At least _father_ is obvious about it!"

"Had I known that the result of my desperate actions were to be…that," Sora stuttered, "then I would have thought of something better. Traveling between worlds, I was able to see these things and I chose Trafalgar because he was the least threatening person I could find on Tumblr! Had I known his true intentions…but his art was only of women…so to learn that he also prefers men…this is shocking….I'm less familiar with the concept as you are, but this world is different from the one we know, Sanji. On ours, it is a basic instinct to choose an opposite gender for romance, but here…it is anything that is of interest and accepted as the norm. I had not thought Trafalgar was this way, as he was clumsy and awkward with anything regarding interest and romance with a woman. He is a _fan_artist, how dangerous can they be?"

Sanji furrowed his brow, unsure of what her mad ramblings even meant. Sora looked up at him with desperation. "I can move you to another location for your…bodily safety."

With a roll of his eyes, Sanji said, "I'm already here. I am not a man who runs from danger. Whatever he has in store for me, I will accept my fate."

Sora sobbed into her hands, and he glared down at her. "I've been a failure of a mother from the start!"

"Frankly, _mother_," Sanji stressed sarcastically, tossing his hair from his eyes, "Is it not my choice to make? I chose to come here because I could not escape his voice or his memory, and I chose to allow him to make his plea, and also, I must add, I do not feel as if I'm in any danger. If I felt danger, I would have killed the alien as he sleeps. Yet, I feed and nurse him with the assistance of that manly woman next door, who can't seem to stop yelling at me for my menial observations on her footwear - "

"Dadan is a good woman," Sora said suddenly. "I should speak with her as well! She's no idea of our world, she would be counted upon to take care of you."

"I am an adult? I don't need 'taking care of.' I'm not a fucking child."

Sora sighed heavily because this was so. Sanji was an adult. But her motherly instincts to protect and nurture would never go away, despite the heavy estrangement. She looked up at her son, whose innocence seemed to radiate from him like some shining bright light. But he was also shrewd and nonchalant with his royalty upbringing, spoiled rotten and dangerous with his expectations; his father's touch was there like a bad reminder. Law would have his hands full keeping this Vinsmoke in line, but his patience so far spoke so much.

She rested her elbows atop of her knees. "Sanji, what do you think of Trafalgar?" she asked curiously.

"He's a powerful idiot. Stupid, timid, but persistent. Stubborn. Strong hands, can draw for hours. Can go without sleep. Can thrive, somehow, on just coffee and bad foods. I can only admire his determination to survive and overcome. He is a worthy opponent, sometimes."

Sora narrowed her eyes. "What about his looks?"

"I suppose I can hold my head up high when one recognizes him as a dangerous enemy. I have been present many times when people see that he is doom itself."

"No. Without all that…do you think he's handsome?"

Sanji stumbled mentally on that one. Eventually he said, "I can't pin attractiveness on a _man_, mother. But I recognize that…sometimes…I can voluntarily, without any reason at all, look at him with admiration."

"You punched me in the breast for thinking that he was attractive."

"Because it disgusts me so when women think they can lean up against him with their stupid voices and hands and touch him as they please, knowing that he is easily manipulated! I hate seeing women simper all over themselves just to get his attention. Their voices change when they are around him, and it disgusts me that he gets so weak just having them address him!" Sanji barked at her, pacing the narrow hallway with agitation. "His attention is off me because he is pleasing them and _I_ am the one he should be focused on! My needs are greater than theirs! And how dare you attempt to flatter him with yours? You're an old, withered woman! Your time was over with after you finished growing us in those birthing pods!"

Sora sighed heavily. These were his father's words he was repeating, and though it hurt her, heart and soul, to know that she couldn't have the relationship she wanted with her children because of the circumstances, this wasn't a battle she could win.

But the moment she thought that, Sanji plopped down onto his knees with a heavy frown, hands in his lap.

"I'm sorry," he apologized glumly. "Those words were extremely hurtful. You're _not_ old and withered."

Sora accepted his apology with a tired smile. As an estranged parent, she knew she wouldn't hold much weight in her son's soul – but his conscience indicated that she could have a chance. It was the only hope she had to cling to. She had no doubt that she would not be able to reach the other three boys – their modifications made it difficult to pinpoint any sort of empathy in them. Sanji and Reiju were the only ones that seemed to reflect differently, which made them human.

"It's alright," she said gently, reaching out to pat the top of his head. "What matters is what you can do to grow into your true self. That world denied you the choice. Here, you can be whatever you want to be without punishment."

"I _am_ my true self."

"You will not be ostracized for showing any sympathy towards others, nor teased to take up non-combative hobbies. Not here. And…you'll have a chance to take options that you make. That fit into this society's rules, of course. Trafalgar has a very clean record. He would be a great teacher," she added with a touch of uncertainty.

After some moments, Sanji asked, "Certainly, father and the others would miss me."

"Why would you miss them? They do not miss you. In fact," Sora then said, voice thickening with disgust, "once you weren't located, your…_father_…organized a brief memorial to declare you dead and ended it with a celebration in the guise of a party for the others in defeating a true alien. They _celebrated_ the fact that you were abducted to another planet!"

Sanji frowned.

"Only your sister seemed upset about it."

"I will miss Reiju," Sanji then admitted. "Because she was the only one to give me any type of consideration in a quiet conversation. Perhaps you could bring her here, as well."

"She chose not to," Sora told him gently. "Because her plans are fairly different from yours. And, in the future, her fate is much more…grounding. But I can definitely arrange a visit from time to time."

"…I'm sorry for calling you old and withered. I feel…terrible…for speaking heatedly at the moment," Sanji then apologized again, looking heavy. "But I have no objection to punching you in the tit again if you should say those disgusting things to Law, again. Your predatory behavior must be the reason why Reiju is so terrifying to men…"

Sora then laughed gently, reaching out to fiddle with his hair. He jerked his head back. "Reiju fights into that world with her dominating behavior that causes grown men to cow before her, and there is nothing wrong with that there. Your jealousy, however, should be explored and controlled."

"I'm not 'jealous'!" he snapped her, rising to his feet. "If you are done here, then you should leave."

Sora then paused before him, towering over him with her intimidating height. Before replacing the mask onto her face, she said, "While the alien is sleeping, perhaps you should understand that…you may hurt his feelings if you should continue to pretend dumb."

"Pretending dumb for _what_?" Sanji asked her.

Sora considered the consequences of her next action, then said grimly, "From your words and actions alone, my son, aren't because of his supposed mind-powers. They're yours."

Wearing a clueless expression, Sanji watched her pull on the mask. It shaped and clung to her skin, deforming her face to appear mannish and unrecognizable. After adjusting her hat, Sora fixed the cuffs of her uniform and looked at him with sympathy. She withdrew a plain brown envelope from the inside of her jacket.

"Give this to Law. Inform him that these are official. Only he understands them. Sanji, due to the rising conflict in the South Seas," she said gently, "I will leave you to adjust to Earth without my interference. It might be some time before I can check back on you. Please…be safe and adjust accordingly. And…refuse to react on impulse. Think before you act. You are allowed to do so, here, without being mocked by your brothers. It is one of your better qualities."

Sanji frowned at her, unsure of what she meant. But Sora was gone without much fanfare after pulling up her wrist, and the silence left behind was strangely intimidating. He exhaled, then opened the door to Law's room. The snores were just as strong as before, and he looked over the mess on the floor with a sort of lost expression.

He understood that he was to live here on this planet, and the fact was frightening, if not exciting. A whole new world to explore, to "be himself". Without the pressure of gaining anyone's approval, without fighting for individual attention away from his brothers. Without doing things that often him feeling heavily conflicted. To adapt to new food, to new rules, to understand that going back would mean a certain death.

But there were positive things about it, too. He looked at his hand with a puzzled expression. The thought of having Law's hand on his allowed him a shiver of excitement, but he was curious as to why this was a concept he had never considered, before. He'd never seen men holding hands, or romancing each other, before. The way Sora suggested it, as acceptable behavior here in this world, was amazing to him because he had never seen it himself.

Do men romance each other like women? Flowers, words, acts of love? If he should accept that behavior, should he chase men in the same way he'd chased after women? Would he be slapped or punched? The thought of a fight _was_ exciting…

And wasn't Law just confused because Sanji was a superhuman depicted grandly in his books? Perhaps he wasn't feeling the hand-holding thing – he was just appealing to Sanji's inner romanticism!

He grew powerfully angry at that moment, looking to the lump on the bed with murder. Law had found out Sanji's secret fantasies and applied them to Sanji on the concept because Sanji was weak to romance!

He closed his fist and vowed to get better answers.

By the time Law found enough energy to get up and do something other than sleep, it was late Friday evening. He made a pot of coffee, sluggishly examined his cupboards and fridge for something to snack on, and ended up just sitting at his couch with his television quietly playing Netflix shows while Sanji sat on the opposite end, glaring at him.

"Feels like Teach sucked the life out of me," Law said on a loud yawn.

"Perhaps he was successful in removing your powers, and this is the result."

"God, I _hope_ so…"

"I knew it!"

Law was too exhausted to argue about anything, but he noticed Sanji looked quite pissed. He sipped at the hot brew, then winced at the burn. "Thank you for staying out of trouble all this time. Did Sora come by?"

"Yes, we spoke. Left that thing on the table there for you to look at. Said it was 'official'. Probably orders from the World Government on your next task."

Law had seen it, but he had yet the mind to open and investigate it. He stretched his legs out, then winced as they cramped. He noticed the show.

"Ah. You found Jessica Jones."

"You remind me of Gilgrave."

Law wondered if that was a compliment, with the tone in Sanji's voice. Sanji then looked over at him suspiciously.

"So, you don't deny it."

"I'm really tired. I'll agree to anything at this point."

"Even to the fact that you manipulated me here for some dastardly notion? Sora told me that men find affection with each other in the same way they find romance with women."

Law spit out his coffee as Sanji crossed his arms tightly and continued to glare over at him.

"I've had some time to think about this, and while it isn't far from kidnapping a woman and forcing her to marry because a man finds her physically pleasing, I find it very difficult to accept that, as a man, that this practice is acceptable here. I am questioning my masculinity. Which is strange, because I find myself looking into my pants to make sure that I am, biologically and physically, a man."

Law coughed, setting his cup aside. But he ended up dropping it onto the carpet as he struggled to catch his breath.

"S-Sanji -! I can – whatever Sora said – it's not -! Oh, _Jesus_…"

"So I wandered the streets, looking for answers," Sanji then said as Law sputtered and reddened, looking absolutely helpless to think and explain himself. Sanji's tone caught his attention, seeing his face take on a puzzled expression. "Once my eyes were opened to the concept, I saw many…men with other men, and women with other women. So it's not a foreign concept here, it's…very accepted. Very…but it is an alien concept to me."

"You went _outside_? _By yourself_?"

"Of course! Why in the world should I fear anyone besides you…?"

Law hoped he would not encounter any strange headlines or receive any police visits, panic causing him a moment of mind rupture.

Sanji then looked at the television screen with a petulant expression, propping chin upon fist. Once Jessica finished confessing to Luke Cage, he glanced over at the other man once more.

"Admittedly," he then mumbled, hands on his lap and picking at his fingernails, "the idea isn't as much horrifying as it is…interesting. The concept of romance, no matter the sexes involved, are the very same. Only…it's different than what I am aware of."

After the initial confession, Law found himself looking over at Sanji with doubt.

"My own family rejected me, so what makes me appealing to you? I am but an unmodified human not of this world. You have to use mind control to capture my attention, but yet…you aren't using me for…domination. You had me protecting your friends, instead. You don't use me to steal, or break things, or even to run immoral errands. And your drawings suggest you love women with big breasts and long legs and long hair and big lips. So…I don't understand."

Law felt his face redden with some building embarrassment. But he also registered that his heart was zooming in his chest at a million miles per hour. His stomach felt weak, and his hands restless. Now wasn't the time to wheel back and pretend. It was time to be as truthful as possible, and straight forward so that Sanji wasn't misunderstanding.

His eyelashes fluttered as he struggled to find where he should start first. "Well, um…yes, I at first admired you as a fictional character that had just come to life right in front of me. You were someone I had only read about in my favorite adventure series, and…I grew up thinking that you were just this…untouchable, unlikeable character because Sora was a hero of mine. I never paid you any mind other than what you were depicted as. But…as I grew to learn of who you were as a person…my opinion of you changed."

Sanji frowned over at him.

Law fiddled with his nervously tapping fingers. "Um. The blanket. The first night you were here, you offered me my own blanket to sleep with. I mean, considering the overall picture, it was actually the first indication I had that you were…not all Vinsmoke. You had empathy. And there were little things here and there that made me think you weren't that evil after all. Eventually I realized I was admiring your appearance for another reason entirely. The way your feelings show on your face, the way you smile – it caused a very real ba-dump each time I saw it."

"…What's a 'ba-dump'?"

"Um…I guess when your heart skips a beat."

"In fear, right?"

"No. Looking at your sleeping face does not inspire any sort of fear in me."

Sanji looked disappointed at that. Seeing how upset he looked caused Law's lips to tug with a slight smile.

"People, no matter the gender, like kindness, Sanji," he told him gently. "It's obvious that you struggled to uphold the image that your family bears, and that's…a good thing."

"To be seen and known as a failure? I think not."

"It's not," Law insisted. "You're _not_ a failure. You're a success. And your mother wanted to protect that. Your family – they're not people to admire or respect. After enduring what I had, I could never _ever_ look at them the same. But you…? I could look at you for a long time and continue to see new things about you."

Sanji looked at him with a start, but also looked hopeful. "Like what? Newfound power and strength? Leveling up to be a certain threat? Dangerous?"

"No," Law chuckled. "Definitely not."

Disappointed, Sanji looked back at the television screen. After some moments of hesitation, Law scooted closer to him, causing Sanji to look at him apprehensively.

"Don't punch me," Law warned him, wiping his suddenly sweaty hands atop of his sweats.

"I feel like I have to!" Sanji said nervously, tilting away from him. "I feel like you're – crowding me for a reason."

"I am, this is all…part of it." With a heavy exhale as butterflies flitted within his midsection, Law tentatively touched the hand that was loosely curled atop of one skinny thigh. Sanji looked at him with alarm.

"Are you going to XXX it?" he gasped as his skin reacted with goosebumps that felt foreign. "In front of _Jessica_?"

"_Jessica Jones isn't real_! But I am touching you because…that's what anybody does when they want to touch someone they like."

With an expression of uncertainty, Sanji swallowed tightly. Law was sweating nervously because he was sure he was going to be knocked out somehow, and it was taking a lot of his courage to make the first move. But his tattooed fingers clasped over Sanji's, the warmth of the other man's surprisingly appealing. Completely different from touching another woman's – almost like holding hands with himself. But it felt good, too, just touching the other man and feeling a sensation of a nervous rush strumming through him. Just like it would with someone he liked.

Sanji watched his longer fingers curl over his, surprisingly tender. His palm broke out into a sweat at the strange feelings coursing through him, and he suddenly felt weak.

"You're making me feel weird," he accused Law shakily. His fingers twitched within the other man's, but he felt no urgency to jerk away. "Your powers are transferring to me upon skin to skin contact! Are these feelings everything you are feeling?"

"Nervous? Excited? Good?" Law asked, struggling to ignore the ridiculous accusation but fiercely relieved at the same time.

Sanji swallowed tightly, considering the feelings. He nodded with jerky action as he watched Law's longer fingers move over his in a gentle sweep, stroking every one with slow examination. It felt _good_, his stomach twisting with anxiety. He was _holding hands_ – something he'd only seen from afar and envisioned himself doing with a woman. But he was holding hands with a man that looked as scared as Sanji felt. Good feelings rushed through him like a hot river, especially when Law's thumb stroked up the middle of his palm and sent a shiver like no other through him.

Law watched him, the sounds of the show running away from them as Sanji focused on their hands with an expression of nervousness to him. Seeing that Sanji felt this made him feel brave. Cautiously, he lifted his hand and kissed his sweaty palm.

Sanji jerked his hand away and hopped away from the couch, hissing. Alarmed, Law watched him as he seemed to squirm awkwardly. His confused face and red skin suggested that this wasn't an act of disgust or rejection.

_Oh, good God no_, he thought with some terror.

After a few moments, Sanji then hastily sat back in his spot, eyes wide as dinner plates and his hands fisted in his lap. "This isn't the first time this happened," he snapped at Law, embarrassment plain in his features. "I just…never…realized why it did until I saw your movies. I don't have to pee, but…this is…"

"I absolutely refuse to think that Garuda never bothered to tell you guys this sort of thing was normal," Law stated. "All men experience it when they are aroused, or if the breeze hits right."

"My uniform was made loosely because of this. My teenage years were…very _very_ awkward…it never happened to my brothers."

Law winced as Sanji looked shamed. Law's eyes caught the figurines he had treasured on his shelves, thinking of the uniforms he'd seen on the true individuals. Shachi's shouting at Niji seemed to pop up loudest in his mental review. He shuddered.

With some effort, he said, "This is normal. This is…it happens. In fact, I popped a boner just smelling coffee – it's normal. Sometimes it's just a body reaction for us. Other times, like now…it's a good thing. Of course, that's why you kept watching porn, right?"

"It was something I'd never seen before. But it didn't make me feel like this."

Law held his jaw grimly. _Think like a carnivore_, he told himself sternly. Images of this man looking up at him innocently while Law took advantage of his purity made Law flush and feel awkward himself. _Not _that_ vividly, damn it_! _An omnivore, then_.

Carefully, he pulled Sanji's hands into his while the man looked uncomfortable, squeezing his knees together. Law almost had a nosebleed, nose tingling fiercely while he struggled to get a grip on himself.

But his voice was strong and unwavering as he told Sanji, "You can _only_ do this around me. Is this understood?"

Sanji frowned at him. "But didn't you just say - ?"

"Never mind that."

"Why are you breathing so hard?"

"Because I am excited. I finally met someone that's not going to be disappointed with me once we get intimate."

"Why would they be disappointed with you?" Sanji asked with pure bewilderment. "Perhaps you have bad taste."

_Thank you God_, Law praised inwardly, _for rewarding me for all my awkward years_.

"And what do you mean by 'intimate'? Will we be sharing secrets? I don't think I have too many…"

"No, we're going to get busy."

"Well, yes, this place is a mess," Sanji then said with a huff, looking around the apartment with distaste. "I'd like to rid of some of the things that you have and replace them with something more tasteful."

_Thank you Lord, for gifting me with someone so fucking dense_. Law wasn't sure if he'd sang his praise with sarcastic truth or just immense relief – the tone seemed the same in his head. He cleared his throat. Eyes determined, he asked, "Did you watch any movies, lately?"

"No. To be honest, I only remembered how to draw this up."

"Put in one of my porn discs. We'll talk about it as we watch it. That's the best education I can give you beforehand. Meanwhile, I'm taking my phone and going to do some quick research while I do that."

"…Okay…?"

"_This_," Law said, bravely reaching in and touching his half erection as Sanji squealed with surprise, looking at him with shock, "is going to be explored entirely. This is what this has _all_ been leading up to."

"_Ah_…! It grew harder…!"

Law looked down at the building tent at the front of his sweats. "Wow, so did mine."

"_ARGH_! Put that away!"

: :

By the time he had Sanji's hormones under his control, Law hastily consulted the instructions on his phone for how-to gay sex. Everything was going perfectly - there was porn playing in the background at a reasonable volume and he had Sanji writhing underneath him. After the initial shock and chaos of actually getting this far, the third Vinsmoke prince was actually very easily convinced at getting naked and willing.

He squinted at the detailed list on his phone while Sanji kissed and suckled at his neck, too strong hands moving over Law with hasty exploration. His surprisingly furry legs gripped Law's hips and held him in place while seeking friction.

"This is something I should've done a lot earlier," Law then cursed, reaching between them for Sanji's dick and giving it a few strokes to keep his attention. "I'd never thought this would happen and am not prepared. Fan art and doujinshi made it look way easier than this..."

"Cease your continuous spew of boring talk and pay attention to me!" Sanji snapped at him, hitting the phone from his hand. "Make it faster...! Squeeze me harder!"

"I think," Law then added nervously, groping the couch cushions for the lotion he normally used to masturbate with and eying it with trepidation, "that we'll stop here for tonight. There's time to explore our options at another time."

"I want to see you pee again - "

"It's not pee, it's ejaculate, we talked about this - and I can't help it, it's been awhile since I did this with anyone else, for fuck's sake, don't say anything like that to anyone about this," Law snapped in a rush as Sanji gripped him with a delicate squeeze of his hand to stroke him. Law squirted some lotion into his palm and reached for Sanji's dick. Hearing his helpless moan made Law eager to leave a good impression on him. He lowered his head to kiss him feverishly, Sanji concentrating on that while his hips lifted to push up against Law's grip.

Throwing the lotion aside, he maneuvered himself to his knees between Sanji's legs. He used one hand to stroke with a grip that would have been painful on him but it was the only way Sanji could feel anything. He hoped that with more time spent here, he'd somehow lose his superhuman strengths to fit in. Law felt that he was using rather excessive and brutal force to exert any sort of pleasure on Sanji. With his other hand, he used a small amount of lotion to rim his asshole with. Teasing him with the tip of his finger.

Sanji squeezed him with a slight sigh, reaching up to grip Law's left nipple with excited pressure. Law immediately eked a sound of pain and slapped his hand away. He rubbed himself as tears sprang to his eyes, checking to see if his nipple remained. Then he pushed Sanji's hands over the blonde's head.

"No more touching, you're going to kill me," he hissed as Sanji looked up at him with frustration. "Grab hold of that. Let me do all the touching."

It occurred to Law that maybe he wouldn't hurt Sanji if he'd used his clumsy sex skills on him without further preparation instructions. Frankly, his overcharged mind told him to go for it and sort it out later but his instincts screamed at him to hold back - what if he lost his dick when Sanji squeezed him? He was certain to _die_ if that happened – or suffer some sort of dick breakage.

He used his lotion slicked finger to prod into Sanji's ass, feeling the muscle clamp down on him immediately. _There's no way this is happening_, he thought with horror as he tried in vain to pull his finger back. _And fuck giving this guy the reins - he'd definitely stab me to death with his ungodly strength and dick_.

He grabbed a slim hip and yanked his hand back. He almost fell off the couch doing so.

Before Sanji could notice, Law hastily replaced himself back between his legs. He continued stroking him as Sanji gripped the couch armrest with both hands. It broke under his grip as he moaned, hips moving restlessly. The wood shattered and crumbled, the material bunching up in his hands.

To distract Sanji, Law quickly placed a hand over his fists and kissed him again, swallowing up his moans. He continued yanking on the man's dick like he was going to tear it off, mindless with the taste of the other man's mouth. The moment Sanji's teeth clamped down as a surge of pleasure hit him, Law jerked his head away.

He felt the warmth of the blonde's cum in his hand, Sanji shaking underneath him. Relieved, Law stroked him with lighter and lighter action until he was sure the man was pleased. Sanji released the broken armrest with shaking hands, panting noisily.

Law exhaled heavily, feeling like he'd undergone a strenuous task. Wiping his face, Sanji then looked at him with shock.

"What?" Law asked cautiously, leaning over to kiss his nose and lick his lips.

"Reiju wasn't hugging those men, was she?"

Not wanting that image in his head, Law shrugged helplessly.

"Or playing horse. Those men were _dying_," Sanji then stressed with horror. "My sister wasn't asking to see no man's chickens -!"

"_Sanji_," Law stressed, wiping his hands on one of their shirts abandoned next to the couch, "that was that. This, between us - this is ours."

"That was all? I feel like we can do more," Sanji said, sitting up awkwardly then pushing him down onto the cushions. He grabbed Law's dick and Law repressed a squeak of alarm.

"_Gently_! _Gently_!" he shouted helplessly, Sanji loosening his fingers.

Straddling him, Sanji bent to press wet kisses to his neck and collarbone while Law tensed, prepared to shove him off if those things became too immense. Having sex with a superhuman wasn't as joyous as he'd thought - he'd actually _die_ if Sanji grew too excited.

At the sound of a woman in the throes of sex, Sanji grabbed the remote and hurled it at the DVD player to turn it off. Satisfied with the silence, he sucked at Law's chest - pain radiated through Law's blood as he gave a shout. He was quite positive he looked spotted with red marks, considering how eager Sanji was to rip into his flesh with his excitement.

"I want more," Sanji growled at him, moving restlessly over him. "_I want more_!"

"Okay _okay_ settle down," Law pleaded with him, looking alarmed at his expression. It was almost too similar to Reiju's at that moment, and it freaked him out. "Just give me a minute, I need -!"

"I can do this without you. I just need you to sit there and - !"

"No," Law said firmly, rolling to the side to force him off. "With sex, it's two people focused on each other. Not just one getting off by himself. Wait until I can get it back up again. We need rules."

Sanji groaned with disappointment but his whole body shivered with anticipation. He drew the man back over him, forcing Law's hand over his loose balls, encouraging him to pet. Law acquiesced with amusement.

"Better than hand holding, right?" he asked with amusement, leaning down to kiss his forehead, drawing his hands up the length of Sanji's torso.

"_Much_ better! It's so messy and hot, but the pleasure from it is worth world wars," Sanji sighed with content, Law stilling with horror. Curling his legs around Law's waist, Sanji seemed to purr as his hands swept around to Law's back. "I don't mind being a captured prince if I am given this in return."

"Yes, well...no wrong ideas. You can...this is only something you can do with someone you like," Law then said cautiously, wincing at the pressure around his hips. He had to loosen the other man's grip before he broke _something_. "It only feels good if you like a person. You can't go around here ravaging people that catch your eye like your sister."

Sanji gave him a look, furrowing his brow. "I can't imagine doing it with anyone else. Are you already seeking to get rid of me for my inexperience?"

"No no, I'm just saying this just in case because I feel like you'll leave once you get experience and decide to go elsewhere. People like you are always looking for something bigger and better," Law then said with a heavy sigh, climbing out of his grasp. He found his underwear and sweats as Sanji scowled at him. "Let's get showered and dressed. I'm hungry."

"Do you think that less of me?" Sanji then asked him incredulously, sitting up to cover himself with a couch pillow. "That I'd reject your affection on a whim for someone else?"

"Well, it wouldn't be the first. I know I'm not sex god, or whatever," Law said. "I'm just…being truthful, here."

Huffing, Sanji glared at him. Then he crossed his arms and Law realized he made a blunder.

"What?" he asked cautiously.

"First you said that I am not like my family. But now you say it like I am. Looking for bigger and better," Sanji repeated with building anger. "If that's the way you feel, then there's no point doing it again, is there?"

Law watched him with caution. He pulled his shirt on over his head, then winced because he'd used it earlier to wipe with and now the combination of fluids stuck to his skin. He ripped his shirt back off.

"I didn't mean it like that," he said low. "But for once consider my feelings. I told you before I'm not good with my partners and they leave. I'm as nervous about this as you are."

Sanji scowled at the television set. "So, you brought me to this world to reject me once you feel insecure…"

Law sighed noisily. "No, not exactly. Not…like I've mentioned a few times in the past, no one sees me like you guys do in your world. You've been witness to it a few times…this has nothing to do with you and your…training. This is my own insecurity talking."

Sanji considered this. He was witness to the pitiful acts of rejection he'd seen when Law interacted with someone other than his friends – the terribly embarrassing way he'd talk when addressed by women, the fact that the people of this world always seemed unable to see the person standing there in front of them.

"Then perhaps this isn't the world you're meant to be in," he suggested. "Perhaps it's mine."

"I'm done with that sort of adventure. And besides, there's no reason to go back."

"Not necessarily to reunite me with my family," Sanji then said, brightening up. "But surely partake in other adventures! It's a big world!"

"Not at the moment. Maybe…maybe one day I'll look at the idea differently," Law then said thoughtfully. "But for now, I want to keep you safe here in mine."

Sanji stared at him, then felt his face flush. _That's almost romantic_, he thought with a dazed expression.

: :

Shachi looked at Law from the corner of his eye. Bon Clay was busy ranting and raving from the middle of the room about how Law had 'cheated' on him by being "sick" all week. The man alternated between screams and crying, the other workers looking back at him cautiously while Law ignored him and continued to arrange his desk space just so. Shachi wasn't sure exactly what it was, but his friend seemed to have a suspicious glow about him - despite the intense bandaging around his neck and a hand and wrist decorated with a cheap brace. There was one reddish wound just barely peeking out from above the bandaging on his neck that looked absolutely suspicious.

At lunch time, he and Bepo crowded around Law as he carefully washed his hands at the bathroom sink.

"So, injuries, huh?" Shachi snapped his gum noisily as Law looked nervous. "You weren't that badly injured, were you?"

"Horribly," Law told him with a frown. "Please, Teach drained my whole life force right out from me. Of course I sustained terrible injuries from it. All that exertion – I'll be sore for the rest of my life."

Shachi braced his forehead against his. "I smell the lies falling from your mouth like I smell barbeque from Bepo's nuggets he was trying to hide, earlier."

Bepo gasped while Law tried to brace himself away from Shachi's accusing expression.

"I did my research! I know what 'shipping means'! I am fully aware of your incredibly pervy reasons for stealing off with a prince from another planet! You couldn't be like the rest of us and send away for a mail order bride from another country – you went all the way to Edgelord Land to send away for a _literal fucking alien_ to please your somewhat edgy whims!"

Law sighed. Because Shachi was so straight forward, there was no point in hiding it, anymore. He pulled at the bandages to reveal hickies so painfully rendered that Shachi's face drained and Bepo braced himself against the wall with horror. There were deep teeth imprints near his shoulders that almost needed stitches.

"Have you ever had sex with a superhuman?" Law asked Shachi. "Because let me tell you something – "

Shachi covered his face, upsetting his glasses. "_NOOOOOOOOO_ how are you still _walking_? JESUS H CHRIST!"

"Did you save _any_ of your skin?" Bepo cried.

"It's not as awesome as you think," Law continued, opening up his shirt to show off evenly spaced finger bruises around his ribs, where Sanji's excitement had caused him to grip so strongly that Law thought he was going to be being flayed alive, "and it's not exactly something for the timid. Want me to drop my pants to show you what a - ?"

"_NO_! _Dear God almighty NO_!" Shachi cried with horror, covering his eyes.

"And worse yet, he looks like his sister when he wants more."

Both men looked so traumatized that they stood stock still while Law gingerly covered himself back up.

"Any more questions? I didn't do it for that, by the way," Law then added, tightening his belt. "Never had I imagined that it came to this. But…I don't regret it. If I had to repeat it, I would."

Shachi and Bepo unfurled away from each other.

"The fact that you survived that is…I don't know, you should be rewarded something," Bepo whispered, wiping his face. "I'm surprised you still have skin left!"

"My wrist has never experianced such carpel tunnel before...but I already took a week off, and I can't afford anymore days off, so…" Law looked exhausted. "I never thought it'd turn out like this, but I suppose any lesser human wouldn't have survived what I had."

"Keep your freaky alien to yourself, then," Shachi muttered. "I don't care if you two are guys, by the way. _Surprising_, but…keep that thing limited to your apartment. Feed it whatever it wants. Make sure it doesn't come for the rest of us. This is all up to you, now. Big responsibilities and all. Ugh…my skin shivers for you, bro."

Law chuckled darkly as Bepo found himself revisiting frightening images of Reiju coming after them.

* * *

**A**/**N**: sigh...i want to write an Alpha/Omega fic...i havent done it, before...its starting to consumemy thoughts

**Guest**: oh man that fic...ugh I just need one more chapter! Plus I reread it and I want to fix it so badly but I know I'll ruin it D: Mannnnnnnnn anxiety fit! Holding hands and so much more! But it's obviously harder than it seems XD

**Naghi**-**Tan**: he would've made a fine sacrifice XD

**VisitorNo18**: The domestic life will be a totally different adventure! One I don't think I'm ready for D: lol The Northblue fanboys! Omygosh...that's a whole new adventure! I need more material to write that aspect :D

**Sarge1130**: Ahhhhh you've read and reviewed all the chapters! I'm glad you were entertained by this very outrageous adventure - I was tired of my emotionally draining fics and needed a desperate pick me up lol! Thank you so much for every review - it makes me happy to read your thoughts on each one :D


	21. Chapter 21

**: : 21**

Sora had known life on Earth would be difficult for Sanji to adjust to. While soothing tensions in various areas of her world, she'd privately fretted over her son's adjustment to his new world, hoping that it went better than his own. She wasn't able to check in on him personally but she followed social media, her private contacts and Law's Tumblr page religiously. His comic adventures that he animated with Penguin depicted an alien prince navigating Earth's rules with his indelicate touch, causing general misunderstandings and chaos wherever he went. It was based off humor and a character unrelated to the Vinsmokes but it was thoroughly Sanji, and Sora loved the cartoonish depiction that was voiced obviously by Shachi, his droll monotone giving life to Sanji's adventures with a polar bear companion that was entirely Bepo.

The first chance she had to visit, Sora wasn't surprised to arrive to a dark, quiet apartment that had been made over with her son's touch to it. All the figurines were gone and replaced with plants and art and the mismatched furniture had been replaced with sturdy, metallic pieces that gave her the impression these things were made personally. She found herself lifting one end of the couch and was surprised at the resistance – the armrests were surprisingly thick and somewhat dented with questionable spaces that could have been made by a superhuman's frustration or design. It made sense for Law to change his furniture around to accommodate the third Vinsmoke prince, for Sanji could be accidentally too strong for these normal human beings. That small touch made Sora feel a little at ease.

A couple posters had been framed and hung up tastefully while the walls took up a more sophisticated touch. It didn't look like a fanboy's den, anymore. Even the kitchen looked more inviting, the den den mushi munching happily on fresh greens while its big eyes watched her nonchalantly.

She intended on sitting on the couch for a nap to await their return when she heard the quiet sounds of someone dropping various things in the master bathroom. Venturing in that direction, Sora peered into the bedroom cautiously, prepared to announce her arrival. But what she saw horrified her.

Her precious son was handcuffed to the headboard of the bed. The light of the lamp nearby showed her his naked upper half, which was splattered with blood. His torso was slick with sweat, arms trembling as his hands swelled with pressure of being forcefully restrained. There was a bath towel tossed over his hips for some modesty, but his legs were spread at the knees and his inner thighs were splotched with blood as well. He was obviously ravaged, and she couldn't speak as her eyes widened with utter shock at the sight. His mouth was slick with blood as well, dripping down one cheek and chin with ragged violence. His lips were swollen and open as he breathed shakily for precious oxygen, his eyes closed.

It took her a few moments to register that the bathroom door was opened and that Law was emerging with a satisfied expression, breathing heavily as he then looked upon his victim with a smug smirk. Sora took in the sight of his naked form and nothing else. Rage colored her vision as she made to attack.

Once he saw her there, though, a shrill sound of alarm left him. He dropped the ice pack he'd prepared beforehand for his sore and battered dick and covered himself with his hands instead, bending forward. She intended on ripping him from limb to limb at that moment until he shrieked, "_What are you doing_?"

Just as she made to lunge, Sanji replied heavily, "I'm trying to catch my breath, what the shit does it look like?"

Surprised to hear he was alive and speaking so casually, Sora looked to him with utter relief, her gasp leaving her with heavy action. Sanji lifted his head to look back at Law with a puzzled look, saw his mother then screamed bloody mortification as he crossed his legs and ripped his hands from the cuffs holding him in place. Both men screamed with dismay and humiliation that it took Sora a few moments to register what was really happening. Her entire body erupted with a horrified flush as she tore away from the doorframe with a gloved hand to her mouth.

Ten minutes later she faced them both as they sat side by side on the couch; Law with a blanket wrapped around himself and a pillow pressed over his red face while Sanji wiped blood from his face and neck with a wash rag, smearing it over his skin with clumsy action. He then gave up without being able to look into a mirror to see what he was doing and adjusted a robe around himself that had foxes on it.

"Mother, I can _explain_," he said, red with humiliation but also quite haughty about it. The blood around his mouth and chin looked garish against his coloring. "My superhuman strength is diminishing but not quickly enough - this situation here is necessary for both of us. We can only express our affections in this manner because he needs recovery time for his bruised dick after I get done with it - "

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" Sora shrilled. She couldn't look at her precious, sweet son the same anymore. This unapologetic boy was a man, now. "I don't! I understand the necessary mechanics, _I just_ \- ! Seeing that sort of scene was enough to give me nightmares for the next twelve years! There was blood _every_where! How could I not think the worst?"

"Law gets a nosebleed every time," Sanji huffed indignantly. "I have to be restrained to prevent killing him with my literal affection, and this somehow excites him even further!"

Sora clapped her hands against her face as Law tried in vain to smother himself, or vanish somehow into thin air. Sanji didn't know why Law was so embarrassed – the older man should be proud of himself for being able to reduce Sanji to a helpless puddle of aching need, and he thought he should point that out but Sora stopped him with a finger upraised in his direction, somehow sensing that Sanji was going to brag about his lover's exploits.

"We're adults, and this is acceptable behavior for two men who like each other," Sanji then sniffed. "What are you doing here? Can't you call beforehand so we can be prepared?"

Sora couldn't speak. Her legs were shaky and her reason for checking in was gone. She managed to compose herself before touching her cuff to activate it. "I will _call_ you. Right now...I cannot...but I am happy you are adjusting well. Both of you, goodbye."

Once she was gone, Sanji frowned over at Law. He could see that the man's ears and neck were brilliant purplish red.

"She's gone," he reported. "How's your cock?"

"It seems to have shriveled right up into my body, Sanji." Law exhaled heavily as he lowered the pillow from his face. He used one hand to adjust his ice pack underneath the blanket. He was _so_ humiliated. "Where it will _never_ come back out again after your mother walked in on the aftermath of Happy Sex Time."

Sanji lifted an eyebrow. "We agreed to call it that because you can't seem to say 'sex' with a straight face appropriate for a man your age."

Law closed his eyes with disgrace. It _was_ his rule. Sanji then looked pissed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Basking in the afterglow after being plowed so thoroughly is ruined, now. I wanted to warn her that we'd both attend the comic cosplay event this weekend to meet the writer of her stupid adventure series and demand he rewrite the reason for my death. I shan't need to feel ashamed being caught having sex because I am a grown man who makes his own decisions."

They had planned on the confrontation so Sanji could feel better about himself. In the weeks that had followed Sanji's arrival here, it was revealed that his death had been because one of the prison guards' skimpy outfit had given him an unrecoverable blood loss. There was nothing weighty or clandestine about his removal from the series. While a reasonably good death for a once sheltered villain, now that Sanji knew what he did, the death was entirely disgraceful.

Law adjusted the ice pack to his very limp dick, which felt like it had been put through a vise and twisted into a coil. But his balls were empty and the orgasm had been glorious enough for him to pass out briefly over his prince to bleed out over. It would've been a fitting end to a hard week, and now it was utterly _ruined_ because he could not think to face his hero again. He could not imagine looking Sora in the eye after this. He groaned, shoving the pillow back against his face with his free hand.

"_I want to die_," he complained noisily.

"I think," Sanji then said leaning over him while very carefully licking and suckling at his ear, "that you were wonderful! I came so hard I couldn't even remember my own name! You're getting better at showing me your true strength! My body is yours to conquer over and over and over!"

Law couldn't help but beam with pride over that happy declaration. But the shame of being caught by Sanji's mother was…unbearably awkward. "We're going to have to move to another dimension and never see your mother again. That's next on our list of things to do."

"_Hah_!" Sanji barked out while rising from the couch. "That'll teach her to call ahead! Enough of this self-pity! Come into the shower with me and allow me to clean your balls with my mouth."

After he left, Law lowered the pillow to his lap. He noticed that the ice had mostly melted. "'Diminishing superhuman strength' my ass," he muttered bitterly to himself.

: :

That weekend, the convention center was crawling with cosplaying fans, personal cameras and booths that glittered with noise and imagery. Penguin was filming for his Youtube channel, Bepo was dressed in tourist clothing with his phone fully charged and his fanny pack latched around his waist, and Shachi was dressed in a way where if he ran into someone he knew they couldn't identify him right away. His shoulder length red hair was pulled underneath a beanie, he wore a new set of polarized glasses and had borrowed some of Penguin's clothes because he and Penguin had completely different tastes. He skulked about like a suspicious person anyway, chewing his gum noisily as always. Law wore a plain button shirt underneath a sweater vest and jeans, his favorite _Sora_ hat, backpack and a convention map at hand – excited to partake in the festivities with Stealth Black at his side. Considering the range of possibilities, no one would know this was the actual character. Sanji was disappointed because he had a brand new suit he'd found at the thrift store that he wanted to wear, but the others had insisted he wear his Raid Suit because "it'd be fun!"

He'd repaired it as best as he could but Penguin and Law helped assured him that the battle damage made it look "even cooler". He'd replaced his ruined gloves with new ones, and Penguin had paid a guy for the repair of his cape and sleeves. Sora had dropped off a new pair of boots, warning him to stay alert and cautious in the event that he was recognized. The woman could not look the pair of men in the eye after that other night, and Sanji hoped she learned her lesson with just barging into their lives when they were busy making one of it.

"Why aren't you advertising your little cartoon?" Shachi then asked Law curiously. "Everyone else here is wearing merchandise advertising their product."

"I'm not ready to be recognized that way," Law replied nervously, sweating at the thought of having people talk to him about his art and the cartoon he collaborated with Penguin over. Stealth Black bullied Bepo for some money to use later, Bepo protesting while giving in. "Talking to new people makes me…incredibly anxious. I'm sure to stumble on everything I say."

Shachi looked at him skeptically. "One day your balls will drop," he assured him.

Stealth Black poked his head between them, snarling, "_What about his balls_?"

"_GAH_! It wasn't literal! Get away!"

"At least show off your shirt to advertise your cartoon," Bepo then told Law as Penguin complained noisily as Shachi and Stealth Black snarled at each other. Law hugged himself firmly – he was wearing a shirt that Penguin designed, but the thought of actually broadcasting it made his stomach turn uneasily.

"Did you call your dad yet?" Bepo then asked Law.

"I…thought about it? But…then I realized talking about the things that I'm most happy about with him, a successful doctor who is nationally recognized was…made me feel weird," Law admitted sheepishly. "I mean, I was supposed to follow in his footsteps and here I am, playing at comic conventions."

"And having _sex_ with a fucking _superhuman alien_!" Penguin exclaimed incredulously as he overheard this. Law reddened with embarrassment as people looked over but didn't give Penguin any more attention. "Who else can brag about that? People can't! You're the only one that can! You need to add that to your resume!"

"I don't know if that's something you can actually brag about to your parent or future employer," Law said skeptically as Penguin yanked on his Youtube logo hat with ear flaps and adjusted his bright tie-dye t-shirt that advertised his channel. His lanyard was heavy with his convention passes, his phone number and backstage passes to various panels. "Plus, don't say those words out loud – I have a feeling my supervisor will pop up randomly if he even suspects I am looking for another job. I can't take that continued harassment."

Penguin looked at him with disbelief. "How can you live a life so cool but be so…_un_cool?"

Law shrugged in response, unsure of how to answer that.

People initially marveled at Stealth Black's costume but fifteen minutes in, he found himself heavily criticized by most of the _Sora_ fans that were attending.

"Stealth Black is a little taller than that," one man said cynically, sipping at his bubble tea while giving Stealth Black a skeptical onceover. "Not so _puny_."

"Stealth Black is bigger, more manly than you can ever be," his friend added, giving a smirk as he measured his height over Stealth Black's. "You should've inserted some foam pads on those puny shoulders, and those legs, _wow_. You tried, though."

"The gloves are all wrong, my dude, but _great_ effort," a bespectacled woman laughed, posing with him anyway while Law took the picture on her phone. "Can I ship you with one of your brothers? You have that _uke_ look to you!"

"What's an 'uke'?" Stealth Black asked Law, who reddened as he fiddled with his glasses to avoid looking Sanji directly in the face. "Is that a weapon?"

"Of… mass destruction," Law assured him with a terrible timidity to him that made Stealth Black doubt him. Law then avoided his pressing expression for a better explanation. Shachi laughed again, gum flying out of his mouth.

"Stealth Black isn't a sex symbol, so walking around like that isn't fitting of a real warrior," another man added, giving the third Vinsmoke prince a thirsty stare that had Law forcing Stealth Black to walk away.

"Those eyebrows are all wrong," another said, staring down at them with displeasure. "You should've used a black liner to make them pop!"

"Stealth Black doesn't walk like he's just been plowed, dude," another said in passing.

"_Gayyyyyy_! You should've been Sparking Red, instead! Stealth Black is lame-o!"

"You should've dressed up as the sister," another man said as he stared at Stealth Black hungrily.

Stealth Black grabbed Law by the collar of his shirt and snarled, "You consider this a fun activity? I am being insulted just standing here!"

"Some of these bros are wayyyy too thirsty," Shachi commented airily, whistling over his soda cup as he watched a woman in skimpy genderbent Sora outfit walk by. He shoved in a new stick of gum. "_That_ outfit would not suit the battlefield we were involved in."

"Too much air in the wrong places," Bepo added. "Makes for a terrible sand burn if they hit the ground."

"I can't even appreciate the boobs without knowing what I do," Shachi said with a low sigh of disappointment.

"I told you you wouldn't be recognizable," Law said nervously. Once he was released, he adjusted his collar with relief, Stealth Black looking furious as he saw how insignificantly he was thought of in Sora's world. Penguin was busy interviewing excited fans nearby, his overly jolly voice noisy against the din once he was recognized by his own fans.

"No wonder you weren't as impressed by the sight of me as one would have been in my world!" Stealth Black snarled at Law. "Villagers usually flee at the sight of me!"

"Yeah, you are pretty scary, sometimes," Shachi told him with sympathy. He snapped his gum before adding, "It's a shame no one respects you here until you're throwing things or ripping off men's flesh with excitement."

"Hey, look at this!" a fan shouted excitedly, pushing Shachi and Law aside to crowd up to Stealth Black and touching his hair before attempting to mash it flat. "How'd you make it stand up this way? _Semen_? You know, like that Mary chick? Man, you went all out!"

Law caught Stealth Black's hand before he could punch the asshole, Shachi crouching to tie the man's shoelaces together while he was distracted. He then stuck his chewed gum up into the material of his pants leg before straightening away with a huff, finding a new stick to shove into his mouth.

"Consent is needed to touch," Law reminded the man angrily, literally saving his life by inserting himself between them while Stealth Black fumed with building rage. The man scoffed at him.

"Stealth Black's a dumb character, anyway," he said, making to walk away and tripping instead. Law and Bepo ushered Stealth Black away as Shachi walked over the outraged fan, making sure to dig his footprints in.

"Let's find this stupid panel so that I may confront the man and leave before I'm tempted to destroy this entire building!" Stealth Black snarled, scanning the nearby booths. But his head whipped around as he caught sight of a woman sauntering by in a skimpy outfit as a gender bent Joker. She was giggling with a Kitana, hungry fanboys taking pictures of them and catcalling while a Princess Peach wandered by with a stern handwritten sign to remind fans that consent was needed.

Law re-directed his attention forward. They came face to face with a Yonji cosplayer, who looked at Stealth Black with a snort, green wig adjusted underneath his Beats headphones. Stealth Black turned to look after him incredulously while Law found the room that held the panel they were looking for. It was spilling with fans that were loading up on merchandise, the current cartoon series' theme playing from speakers mounted on the walls.

"There it is," he said, verifying its position on his map. "Let me go in first. The panelists usually don't start coming in until it's go time to avoid too much interaction with the fans. I'll attempt to use my backstage pass, first. You guys wait out here. Shachi, Bepo – I trust you can handle the scene."

"You got your backstage pass?" Bepo asked him worriedly as Shachi bumped Stealth Black's elbow with his, pointing out a skimpily dressed Sonja Blade. Both of them drooled over the woman as she posed with a cardboard gun for a bunch of male fans.

"Yes," Law verified, finding the badge on his lanyard.

"Excuse me!"

They all looked up at the sight of a man dressed from head to toe in black _Sora_ gear, carrying a laptop under one arm and a black sweater over the other. He looked at Law with an incredulous expression, marching over. He was a very tall man with reddish-brown hair and an X scar on his chin, but looked quite happy and comfortable in his _Sora_ gear.

"_Wow_," he breathed in awe, Law looking at the others with discomfort while Stealth Black inserted himself close by, just in case the man was an enemy. "Dude, you look _just_ like him! Without the costume!"

Worried that he was recognized from the other world, Law looked discomforted. He pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Like who?"

The man quickly opened up his laptop to show off some of the _Sora_ artist's latest sketches for the upcoming _Sora_ movie, which was in the first stages of animation. While aware of the news, fans hadn't seen any leaks from the characters involved nor the storyline planned. But once they saw the sketch and colored final design for a new character, three faces dropped with disbelief.

They were looking an animated Law, who was wearing a yellow and black outfit very similar to the ensemble he wore during his visit to Germa, Commodus' style hair waxed in place. The character held almost every specific physical attribute he had, right down to the shape of his eyebrows, the color of his eyes and the slouch of his shoulders. His expression radiated confidence, though. The notes on the side proclaimed that his eyes changed color with the activation of his powers, which weren't revealed just yet. The character was clutching a yellow and black cape over one shoulder, with "3" clearly labeled in the corner and the material battle worn – which suggested a tie-in with Stealth Black. Torso drawings revealed the exact shape and position of his tattoos. He wasn't labeled with a name just yet, a question mark in place over the top of the page. But "Leader of the Heart Pirates" was written just below that.

Three other characters off to the side were clearly Penguin, Shachi and Bepo, except Bepo had some sort of bear ears atop of his head – not exactly a furry but not exactly a man, either. They wore outfits typical of a motley pirate crew, with some individual pieces and yet combined coloring of the outfits that they'd worn that day on the island. Penguin even had his aviator hat covering his eyes and ears, and Bepo's outfit was bright orange, with Shachi wearing a yellow turtleneck shirt. Shachi was in mid-motion of blowing a gum into a bubble, which caused the real Shachi to swallow his gum with nervousness.

The fan looked at the others individually, then lit up with glee before slamming his laptop closed.

"You guys caught word of the leak, too?" he whispered with merriment. "Because you guys look _identical_! _Wow_! Are you guys actually the models for the Heart Pirates? How'd you get that gig?"

Shachi hissed with shame, pulled his beanie tightly over his head while Bepo's eyes were so rounded that they took up nearly half of his face. Law didn't know what to say, but he did _not_ want that sort of attention on him. To be seen as a fearsome character when he was, in actuality, a very timid one that had the luck of misfortune on his side – but it only went on to suggest that he'd made his presence known in Sanji's world.

Stealth Black gripped Law's shoulder.

"_You made it_!" he hissed, shaking the older man with an excited jiggle. He was absolutely proud of the man for finally being recognized for who he truly was. He picked him up in a hug, twirling him about with ease while Bepo and Shachi hopped out of the pathway of Law's legs as they swung about. "I knew it! A foe worthy of an intelligent design! _Yes_! This is he, the fearsome predator who destroyed the Vinsmokes with casual utterances of his mouth and conquered a powerful prince - !"

"No, _NO_!" Law hissed back at him with panic, slapping at his hands and looking terribly embarrassed with the easy way Stealth Black manhandled him. Attention was diverted in their direction, so he fixed his hat and straightened his shirts with an embarrassed fluster while Stealth Black looked happy for him. "You know how I am with attention! I panic!"

Shachi laughed heartily as he shaking pulled out a new pack of gum, Bepo wondering if the man bought the stuff in bulk. "_Conquered_? Then why the hell does Law end up looking like the accident victim every time you guys fu - ?"

Law yanked down his beanie and stuffed most of it in his mouth, causing Bepo to save him once he started choking on the material. He turned to Stealth Black with worry. "Don't draw attention to us!"

"Don't you _dare_ show your timid side here! Not in front of people who are already in admiration of you! Do not embarrass me thus further – _you_!" Stealth Black then snapped at the fan, who watched them interact with skeptical action. "Show me to your leader, to the one that creates these things. I shall require a word of him!"

The fan, already in shock over the easy way the smaller man manhandled his taller friend, looked at him questionably. "I don't…are you…British?"

"I will be swimming in fan-pussy after this," Shachi realized, seeking positivity to the matter as he chewed his gum faster. He tucked his hair back under his beanie. "I could have a different fan girl for every night of the week – _two_ on the weekends!"

"I've…never been a furry my entire life," Bepo whispered with disappointment. Shachi reached over and slapped his fanny pack with a guffaw. "That will be an image I could never escape…"

"I intend on having a very strong word with him about the reason behind my supposed death," Stealth Black snarled, pulling away from them and pushing into the room. Two guards that asked to see his pass made to intercept him, but he thrust them aside easily with a push of his hands. "I _shan't_ be disrespected any further, today!"

"No, no _no_ no _no_, we're _not_ doing this!" Law whispered with agitation, hurrying after him. "Not at a convention with hundreds of people present! Social media! _Sora_ will come back here and I can't face Sora right now! It's _too soon_!"

"Oh? What happened? You're usually _drooling_ at the chance to meet that guy!" Shachi called after him with curiosity while Bepo nodded at the bewildered fan.

"Thank you," Bepo said before hurrying after them.

The crowd inside of the room paid no attention to Stealth Black as he pushed his way towards the empty table at the head of it, with lights and cameras positioned over it. The placards at the table told him that the creator was expected to be there, along with the voice actors for the Sora animated series, but none of them were there just yet. The guards were radioing each other, making to intercept the costumed villain as attention started to perk at the disruption.

Just as a confrontation was sure to begin, the sound of a man bellowing, "SANJI!" caught their attention. Stealth Black paused in mid-motion to look over his shoulder while Law and the others looked alarmed. No one else knew Stealth Black's name to address him personally – not outside of his world.

They turned and caught sight of a man standing near the back of the room, outfitted in gear fitting for a man belonging to a power hungry world that fought each other out of pure strength and will. His face pulled into a calculating smirk once he recognized he'd found the motherlode of all urban legends. Once he realized he was sighted, he hastily threw his _Sora_ fan cup over his shoulder to hide the evidence of his prize.

Stealth Black, after some examination of the man, gave a pensive growl as he then stepped in front of his puzzled friends with a protective gesture. Stealth Black's frame turned tense as his fists balled up, all instincts primed to fight ready to explode.

"It's _you_!" he snarled, Law looking to him with bewilderment before looking back at the man. Shachi stepped behind Bepo while the entire room watched the scene with rising interest, phones up to catch the action.

Meanwhile, Penguin looked around himself with a mystified expression, wondering when he'd lost his friends.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you all for reading this crazy fic! It was humor from start to finish, with all modes of comic-like inspiration in it! I leave it like this because it just feels like a fitting end to a comic book inspired series...

**Naghi-Tan:** Oh, as from this chapter, he is very aware of it XD it's the only way it can happen lol! Sora is traumatized, now, but her precious boy is a man – and he's finally grown up! D: Thank you for reading and commenting! As always, I enjoy hearing your thoughts on every chapter!

**Guest**: I just can't stop thinking about it – I told myself I would stop writing for awhile because I'm just recycling all my ideas and characters BUT now this idea is growing leaves in my mind so… D: I'm glad you liked the scene! Law _has_ to have hidden superpowers because there is just no way he can keep this up lmao! Thank you for reading and leaving your comments! Always happy to hear your thoughts :D

**Sarge1130**: Thank you for reading and reviewing every chapter! T.T You are awesome! I'm glad you're getting a laugh out of this fic – it was definitely meant for humor and fun rather than the depressing angst I usually write. One day, Law will gain confidence in his own world to be the strong, confident and calculating powerhouse that Sanji sees him as – but today is not the day lol (I can't get Enrique Iglesias out of my mind, now, thanks lmao!) The birth of the Heart Pirates is the day that will live in infamy – especially after this chapter, as they have been noticed – now how will they handle their newfound fame? Reiju is a powerful woman who knows how to terrify a man – Garuda will give her the throne if she snapped her fingers lol Her brothers don't stand a chance XD


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